Wood Carving Research Articles

SEMANTICS OF THE HOUSE CARVING OF SAMARA

The article tells about the semantics of carved ornaments of ancient wooden houses in the city of Samara and explores the ornamental features of the wooden and stone-wooden buildings of the city, built in the late 19th century. Relying on the studies of historians who studied the culture of Ancient Rus, the authors show that the semantics of the wooden carving of the city of Samara is closely related to the pagan beliefs of the ancient Slavs and the folk traditions of applied art and craft. The authors cite the classifi cation of the main parts and elements of buildings decorated with house carvings, emphasizing the connection between the ornament and its location on the houses in accordance with the model of the pagan universe and the magical-spellcasting rites of the ancient pagans. The article analyzes the existing types of house carvings in the city, illustrates the construction of traditional ornamental composition, the geography of thematic infl uences and traditional crafts. At the same time, a conclusion is drawn about the high variety of compositions and the uniqueness of the Samara wooden carving of each old house.

The Art of Connection: Risk, Mobility, and the Crafting of Transparency in Coastal Kenya by Dillon Mahoney

Reviewed by: The Art of Connection: Risk, Mobility, and the Crafting of Transparency in Coastal Kenya by Dillon Mahoney Katrien Pype Dillon Mahoney, The Art of Connection: Risk, Mobility, and the Crafting of Transparency in Coastal Kenya. Oakland: University of California Press, 2017. 264 pp. The long-legged giraffe that appears in souvenir shops at airports and in decoration shops in places such as Manchester and Philadelphia is an emblematic figure of Kenyan woodcarving art. The Art of Connection guides us through the social landscape of this giraffe and similar artistic work produced in Kenya, and informs us about the complex interplays between the ethnic, urban, and global networks through which these objects emerge and move. In concrete terms, this book is about sanamu, a Swahili word for curios, handicrafts, crafts, and tourist art, which references a wide variety of soapstone and wooden carvings (178). These are made by msanii, artists, mainly from Kamba and Kisii ethnic origins, though the trade is multi-ethnic. Crucial to Mahoney's analysis is that "Kenyan curio art (and African art more generally) is not simply an object, but an interaction or an experience" (180). For a long time this interaction happened face-to-face, mainly in kiosks throughout the city, but for over a decade, these have become increasingly digitally mediated (in cybercafés and via the cell phone). During more than 15 years of fieldwork in and around Mombasa, Mahoney has been interviewing, hanging out with, following, and e-mailing with traders (even those who have left the business) he has met in Mombasa. Initially he planned to work with roadside sellers, but the arrival of digital technologies halfway through his fieldwork reshaped the sanamu business. Mahoney had to redesign his fieldwork, and include entrepreneurs taking advantage of cellular communication. In addition, political decisions, such as the demolition of kiosks in the 1990s and [End Page 1131] 2000s, also pushed these entrepreneurs to change their selling strategies. Some relocated to other areas in and around Mombasa, while others totally abandoned the trade. Additional research participants were tourists, beach boys, and tour guides—as one would expect from studying life in a tourist hub. The ethnographic data are complemented with material from archives about Mombasa's history and colonial and postcolonial art policies. As such, the monograph offers a fascinating insight into the multiple forms of connection that occur(red) in Mombasa. The analytical rubrics of informality, (im)mobility, and transparency bring together economy, politics, and urban sociality. Key to the analysis is the idiom of connection, starting from the very concrete "business connections" as in finding patrons and clients, then venturing into a more abstract understanding of "connection" as in participating in the global economy, and including a more philosophical, humanistic trope of togetherness and belonging. As mentioned above, in recent years, digital technologies have added a new platform for connecting, trading, and communicating which has seriously impacted the business of art trade. Mahoney is careful not to romanticize the opportunities that have come along through the digital infrastructures; rather, throughout the book, the author points at new forms of inequality, violence, and risk. The politico-economic background of this study frames the whole monograph. After World War II, Kenyans from Nairobi, Machakso, and Kisii Districts were attracted by the handicrafts and carving business in Mombasa and settled there. During the 1970s, they set up Kamba wood-carving and Kisii soapstone cooperatives, which the Kenyan postcolonial state subsidized until 1997. When the Co-operative Societies Act and the Sessional Paper No. 6 of 1997 on "Cooperatives in a Liberalized Economic Environment" (7) were issued, the cooperatives could no longer rely on state support and transformed into free enterprises. They were forced to compete directly with other privately owned businesses. The Acts thus meant a radical shift in business models and marketing necessities. Greater economic insecurity and instability were the outcome for most of the traders. Almost a decade later, around 2005, digital platforms appeared more and more prominently in Mombasa and provided welcome opportunities for younger, digitally literate Kenyan men and women. Though not everybody could rely on that. In seven chapters and a short conclusion, Mahoney offers us an intimate insight...

Técnicas de modelado y fundición en la escultura colonial colombiana

Despite wood carving—polychrome and worked with estofado technique—being the most important technique in the Neogranadine art of the Modern Age, we must not ignore the great material wealth that for a long time has been disregarded in current historiographic studies. In the present paper we aim to overcome this reductionist vision. which we are now able to qualify thanks to the examination of some surviving material remains and above all of the existing archival documentation. We will focus our attention on those sculptural pieces obtained by modelling processes. Our concern with the materiality of the work—the first source of information for the art historian—is a reflection essential to achieving a correct and integral analysis of the artistic object.

SYMMETRY AND ASYMMETRY IN FORMS AND DECORATIVE FINISH OF MUSLIM GRAVESTONES OF THE 14th -15th CENTURIES IN THE VILLAGE OF KUBACHI

This article is sequel to the article published in the third issue of the Journal “Herald of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography of the Dagestan Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences” in 2017 and it deals with the peculiarities of decorative finish of Muslim gravestones of the 14th -15th centuries in the village of Kubachi, partly in the village of Ashty, and now uninhabited villages of Dats’amazhe and Kalakoreish. This article, unlike the previous one, covers the issues related to the principles and methods used by stonecutters, calligraphers and ornamentalists in the decoration of the headstones. The analysis shows that bilateral symmetry was the guiding principle, which stonecutters used in decorative finish of the gravestones and of various architectural details as well. It is noted that the patterned and epigraphic compositions presented on the medieval headstones are based on the principle of free or relative symmetry, since there is no exact coincidence of the left and right sides of the figures. Along with the compositions with bilateral relative symmetries, there are the so-called mirror symmetries, in which the left and right sides are the same and coincide. These are mainly compositions of floral ornament. In medieval stone-cutting art of the village of Kubachi, mirror symmetry is most often found in heraldic compositions with images of paired, opposing animals, birds and fantastic creatures carved on various architectural details. The stonecutters adhered to the principle of relative (free) symmetry while making relief decorative Arabic inscriptions against the background of the floral ornament. The same inscription of the patterned and epigraphic band (border) in the upper part of many headstones is divided into two equal parts by a small ornamental medallion or braided ornament. But according to the figure (structure) these parts (right and left) are different. The stonecutters were to show the symmetry of the whole decoration of the headstones - the center and its sides. Among the architectural details there are also some decorative Arabic inscriptions executed in compliance with bilateral mirror symmetry. This symmetry is presented in the inscription (pseudo-inscription) on the archivolt of the window tympan of late 14th - early 15th centuries with the image of a horse rider, and on the archivolt of the window tympan with the image of a deer dropped down to the front legs. The author of the article presents the data on the relationship between Kubachi and the neighboring villages of Itsari, Shiri, Dats’amazhe in the development of the stone-cutting art and other types of decorative and applied art - wood carving, metalworking, carpet weaving, etc. in terms of similarity of compositional techniques and ornamental motives, performed in compliance with the principle of symmetry. The author analyzes similarities and differences in the decoration of the headstones at the medieval cemeteries of the village of Kubachi - “Bidaq huppe”, “Ts’itsila”, “Baqutsila”, “Dats’amazhe”, and also in the villages of Ashty and Kalakoreish. The modern ornamental art of Kubachi has inherited the rhythm, symmetry, balance, and proportionality peculiar to medieval ornamental compositions.

RAFTS AND TRADES RELATED TO WOOD PROCESSING IN RUSSIAN VILLAGES OF STANS 3 AND 4 OF ZLATOUSTOVSKY DISTRICT OF UFA PROVINCE

The article is based on the data of the field researches carried out by the author in the north-eastern regions of the Republic of Bashkortostan (Duvansky, Mechetlinsky and Belokotaysky Districts) in 2011-2014. In late 19th - early 20th centuries, this territory was part of stans 3 and 4 of the Zlatoustovsky District of the Ufa Province. Most of the Russian population of this area were the “Kunguryaks”, the descendants of immigrants from the northern lands (the former Perm and Vyatka Provinces). The author of the article considers the traditions of wood processing that existed in the Russian villages within the area under study in late 19th - early 20th centuries. Most objects required in the household and in everyday life were made from wood: there were many carved, chiselled, bent objects as well as those braided from rod, birch bark, and bast in the peasant’s house, they were daily used in all spheres of life. Many crafts and trades were connected with wood processing: carpentry, cooperage, joinery, etc. In the villages, there were wood carvers and “painters”, who turned wooden objects into pieces of decorative and applied arts. The traditions of wood processing were brought by the “Kunguryaks” from their historical homeland and they have much in common with the traditions of the Russian North. Among the artistic images of wood carving, there are both ancient amulets - images of ducks, horses, the sun, and Christian symbols - images of a cross, a chalice with grape bunches. In the painting on wood, both the Ural and Vyatka traditions are notable. The article fills in the gaps in the studies of the traditional culture of the Russian ethnos that for now is investigated unevenly in various regions, and the author introduces new material on its material culture into scientific use.

Songs as Tools of Motivation for Occupational Activities in Tiv Land

A song is piece of music with words for singing. Songs are consciously or unconsciously sung by an individual or a group. They are memorizable, and as such, they are used to refresh a person’s memory, boost their morale, soothe a target audience, mock an enemy, and praise a heroic deed. Therefore, people have different reasons for singing. In Tiv Land, for instance, songs are primarily used to strengthen one’s own side, or weaken the opponent’s in wars, on the farm, in a dance, or in any occupational activities, like cloth weaving, knitting and dyeing, wood carving, etc. Songs thus make or mar a person’s performance in whatever they do. This paper examines the contribution of songs to occupational activities and productivity in Tiv Land.

Black pitch, carved histories: Radiocarbon dating, wood species identification and strontium isotope analysis of prehistoric wood carvings from Trinidad's Pitch Lake

We report on the results of a multi-disciplinary project (including wood identification, radiocarbon dating and strontium isotope analysis) focused on a collection of pre-Columbian wooden carvings and human remains from Pitch Lake, Trinidad. While the lake's unusual conditions are conducive to the survival of organic artefacts, they also present particular challenges for analysis. There is a loss of any contextual association beyond that of the lake, and specific methodologies are required to deal with pitch contamination. A surprising taxonomic range of woods was employed for the various utilitarian and ceremonial items recovered. The 14C results range from ca. 3200BCE to ca. 700 CE, and include the earliest known wooden carvings in the entire Caribbean. The strontium isotope results - interpreted with the aid of an isoscape developed for the project, based on extensive samples of modern trees across Trinidad and Tobago - indicate that most carvings are consistent with the site's immediate environs; however, a ‘weaving tool’ came from a more radiogenic region that is unlikely to be found on Trinidad, suggesting links with the South American mainland.

“Breaking juju,” breaking trade: Museums and the culture of iconoclasm in southern Nigeria

“Breaking juju,” breaking trade: Museums and the culture of iconoclasm in southern Nigeria

Radiocarbon Dating Wooden Carvings and Skeletal Remains from Pitch Lake, Trinidad

ABSTRACTSince the mid-19th century, rare prehistoric wooden carvings and human skeletal remains have been dredged from Pitch Lake, Trinidad, during commercial asphalt mining. Establishing a chronology for these objects is challenging, due to both a lack of stratigraphic and contextual information and the necessity to completely remove any pitch to ensure accurate radiocarbon (14C) dates. A range of solvent extraction protocols was tested to identify the most suitable one for pretreating the Pitch Lake artifacts, and then applied to ten wooden objects and a human cranium recovered from the lake. Several of these objects yielded earlier dates than expected, raising concerns that pitch had remained after pretreatment and had affected the dates. Pyrolysis-GC/MS and optical microscopy techniques were applied to material from the human cranium, a weaving tool, and a small bowl. These techniques, as well as routinely applied laboratory quality assurance procedures, indicated that there was no residual pitch within the cranium or the weaving tool after pretreatment, giving confidence to the dates. However, the small bowl was observed to still be contaminated with pitch after extensive pretreatment, indicating that the date is too old and can only be considered as aterminus post quem.

Linguistic Decipherment of the Lettering on the (Original) Carving of the Virgin of Candelaria from Tenerife (Canary Islands)

The wooden carving of Our Lady of Candelaria, discovered in the municipality of the same name on the island of Tenerife (Canary Islands) during the first half of the fifteenth century, had nearly two hundred letters of the Latin alphabet inscribed on her garments. Unfortunately the original carving disappeared after the storm that took place in 1826. Once the original letters on the first image were discovered by means of analysing both textual and artistic documentation and sources, we conclude that the text is archaic-Berber language used by the islanders, Insular-Amazigh, which no longer exists in the present day. Having discussed lexical, morphological, syntactic and phonetic aspects of this archaic language, as well as conducted a semantic analysis of the carving both from the native aboriginal perspective and the Christian one, we expound here our proposal of the meaning of the letters engraved on the Marian carving of Candelaria from its lexical voices and roots of their Berber and Insular-Amazigh languages, with the previous proposed solutions.

ARTISTS OF LIBERIA AND THE IVORY COAST - Eberhard Fischer. Dan Artists—The Sculptors Tame, Si, Tompieme and Sõn: Their Personalities and Work. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014. 144 pp. Color and black-and-white photographs. Bibliography. Epilogue. Publications on Dan Art and Culture by Hans Himmelheber and Eberhard Fischer. DVD (“Dan Wood Carvers and Mask Performers, Liberia, 1960”). Cloth. $49.00. ISBN:

ARTISTS OF LIBERIA AND THE IVORY COAST - Eberhard Fischer. Dan Artists—The Sculptors Tame, Si, Tompieme and Sõn: Their Personalities and Work. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2014. 144 pp. Color and black-and-white photographs. Bibliography. Epilogue. Publications on Dan Art and Culture by Hans Himmelheber and Eberhard Fischer. DVD (“Dan Wood Carvers and Mask Performers, Liberia, 1960”). Cloth. $49.00. ISBN: 978-3858817594. - Eberhard Fischer and Lorenz Homberger, eds. African Masters: Art from the Ivory Coast. Zurich: Museum Rietberg/Scheidegger & Spiess, 2014. 240 pp. Color and black-and-white photographs. Bibliography. Cloth. $39.00. ISBN: 978-3858817617. - Volume 60 Issue 2

Terminologies That Characterize the Visual and Physical Properties of Wood Carving as Cultural Heritage

This study aims to investigate the physical and visual properties of the traditional Malay wood carving as cultural heritage component, which has been inherited from the old generation of carvers since 16th century. The objectives of this study are: 1) to identify the tangible and intangible attributes of the wood carving components that denote its cultural heritage value, and 2) to analyse the characteristics and physical properties of the wood components. Personal interview with Malay carvers, field observation, visual and laboratory analyses were conducted to determine the physical and chemical properties of the selected wood carving components from Terengganu and Kelantan. The result of analyses characterized the traditional concepts of carving into transfiguration, transformation, translation, transference, transcendence, transmission, translocation, and transition. Also, the result of laboratory test shows that different types of wood especially Meranti and Cengal were used for the fabrication of carving components. The study found that Cengal-based wood carving has distinctive physical and chemical characteristics thus distinguished it from those found in Meranti-based wood carving. The study suggests the visual and physical characteristics of the carving components characterize their heritage values. These characteristics determine the distinctiveness of the carved components that has become the key determinants to their heritage attributes resulting to significant pieces of work. Future research could be conducted to determine the suitable method for preserving the wood carving as cultural heritage. The Malay traditional wood carving need to be protected to ensure its cultural heritage values are maintained in good condition.

Sustainability Analysis of Prototyping Processes

Development of prototypes draws major focus in contemporary manufacturing organisations. Sustainability analysis and comparison of the prototype manufacturing process plays a vital role in deciding the sustainability level of the product. Sustainability of prototyping depends on model building material and model building process. In this paper based on the customer requirements, Environmental Conscious Quality Function Deployment (ECQFD) was carried out. Increased lives, strength, reduced toxicity of material with biodegradability were the major outputs of ECQFD. Cambridge Engineering Selector (CES) and Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) were used for material selection. Wood, ABS, Poly Lactic acid (PLA) and Lead were selected as cost efficient materials for the case product. A CAD model of the case product was developed and subjected to Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) using solid works sustainability express for the above materials. Prototypes of the case products where produced by wood carving, casting, CNC Milling and 3D printing by considering all input parameters required across each process. LCA was conducted using GaBi for the above process and the results were compared. From this study, it was observed that the case product developed using PLA with 3D printing technology had very less impact on environment and is considered as the best and cost effective prototyping method.

Involvement in non-farm activities and occurrence of domestic conflicts among rural farmers in Edo State, Nigeria

As part of effort to promote rural dwellers’ wellbeing, several studies had been conducted to examine the causes and resolution of domestic conflicts among farmers but less attention is paid to their involvement in non-farm activities as a strategy to mitigate domestic conflicts, particularly in Edo State, Nigeria. The study therefore assessed male and female rural farmers’ involvement in non-farm activities in Edo State with a view to unveiling the effects on occurrence of domestic conflicts. Specifically, it analysed the benefits derived in non-farm activities as well as establishing relationship between their involvement in non-farm activities and frequency of occurrence of domestic conflicts among male and female farmers. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used to select 130 respondents (65 males and 65 females) in the same household using interview schedule. Data on socioeconomic characteristics, non-farm activities performed and frequency of occurrence of domestic conflicts were described with the use of mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentages while Pearsons’ Product Moment Correlation was used to determine the relationship that exists between benefits derived due to their involvement in non-farm activities and frequency of occurrence of domestic conflicts. Results show that 63.1% and 66.2% of male and female were between the ages of 20 and 40 years while only 9.2% of male and 38.5% of female having no formal education. Non farm activities such as wood carving (=2.94±0.57), building/construction (=2.92±0.48) and Carpentry/ furniture works (=2.83±0.83) were the major non-farm activities with high involvement among male while petty trading (=2.99±0.83), hairdressing (=3.24±0.94) and tailoring (=2.73±0.88) recorded high involvement level among their female counterparts. Income generation (=3.29±0.64) and creation of self employment (=3.24±0.27) were among the benefits derived for their involvement. A negative and significant correlation existed between farmers’ involvement in non-farm activities and frequency of occurrence of domestic conflicts (r= -0.51; p≤0.01).It was concluded that involvement in non farm activities among rural farmers is central to resolving domestic conflicts. It is therefore, recommended that farmers in the rural areas should be encouraged to involve in non-farm activities by social and development workers as this will be a strategy in building peace within a community.

The Effect of Science Learning Integrated with Local Potential of Wood Carving and Pottery Towards the Junior High School Students' Critical Thinking Skills

<p>This study aims to analyze the influence of science learning integrated with the local potential of wood carving and pottery to the critical thinking skill of class VIII SMP students. This research is a quasi-experimental research (quasi-experiment). The research design uses pretest-posttest control group design. The population in this study is the students of class VIII MTs Negeri Piyungan, while the sample is the students of class VIII A and VIII B MTs Negeri Piyungan. The technique of collecting data in this research is in the form of test. The data collection instrument is a critical thinking skill descriptive test. The data were analyzed using ANOVA test. The results of this study indicate that the learning of science integrated with the local potency of wood carving and pottery have an effect on critical thinking skill of class VIII SMP student. This effect is indicated by a significance of 0.008 (significance <0.05).</p>

The Garden Palace: Building an Early Sydney Icon

The Garden Palace: Building an Early Sydney Icon

Texture analysis of stereograms of diffuse-porous hardwood: identification of wood species used in Tripitaka Koreana

Tripitaka Koreana is a collection of over 80,000 Buddhist texts carved on wooden blocks. In this study, we investigated whether six hardwood species used as blocks could be recognized by image recognition. An image data set comprising stereograms in transverse section was acquired at 10× magnification. After auto-rotation, cropping, and filtering processes, the data set was analyzed by an image recognition system, which comprised a gray-level co-occurrence matrix method for feature extraction and a weighted neighbor distance algorithm for classification. The estimated accuracy obtained by leave-one-out cross-validation was up to 100% after optimizing the pretreatments and parameters, thereby indicating that the proposed system may be useful for the non-destructive analysis of all wooden carvings. We also examined the specific anatomical features represented by textures in the images. Many of the texture features were apparently related to the density of vessels, and others were associated with the ray intervals. However, some anatomical features that are helpful for visual inspection were ignored by the proposed system despite its perfect accuracy. In addition to the high analytical accuracy of this system, a deeper understanding of the relationships between the calculated and actual features is essential for the further development of automated recognition.

Writing the Feminine: The Representation of Women in Contemporary Dominican Visual Art

This essay examines two prominent Dominican visual artists—Belkis Ramírez and Raquel Paiewonsky—whose work encompasses new media such as video arts, installations, and performances. By defying traditional models of pictorial and sculptural art, these artists have revolutionized the Dominican art scene both thematically and technically. While Ramírez creates installations that include wood carving, xylography, and paint, Paiewonsky often combines textile design and sewing with other artistic media technologies, excelling at photography. Despite the diverse old and new materials and media used in their art, the artists have systematically challenged expectations of the role of women in the arts and in society as a whole. Their artwork explores the devastating impact on women of restricted gender roles and new forms of slavery imposed by patriarchal society, such as forced motherhood, the abortion ban, migration, and feminicides.

‘People will no longer be people but will have markings and be animals’: investigating connections between diet, myth, ritual and rock art in southern African archaeology

ABSTRACTThis paper was motivated by a mid-twentieth century collection of wooden carvings made by the G/wi Bushmen (San) living in the western Kalahari Desert of southern Africa, in which they represent themselves as part human, part zebra. A reading of relevant ethnographies confirms a close identification of mid-twentieth-century Kalahari G/wi with zebras and their potency. Significantly they are avoided as prey in hunting. It follows that they are not eaten. Previously rock art researchers have noted that certain antelope species dominate in the paintings of parts of southern Africa. It is well known that eland are the most frequently and carefully depicted antelope in the rock paintings of the Maloti-Drakensberg Mountains. Whilst two twentieth-century accounts suggest that blood and fat might have been an ingredient in paintings, there has been little discussion of whether this was the norm or whether eland were part of the everyday diet of those who emphasised them in their paintings. If the close identification with a particular animal was coupled with its avoidance in diet — as suggested by the G/wi — then it might be possible to pinpoint when this occurred in the faunal assemblage and thus meet Mitchell’s (2016: 9) recent call that southern Africanist archaeologists should try to, ‘pinpoint when, where and how ethnographically recognizable behaviours first appeared, thereby identifying discontinuities in their practice’. As a test case this paper explores whether San identification with the eland in the Maloti–Drakensberg region can be framed within a specific time period and context by drawing on various sources of evidence, including the faunal assemblages from it.

Art in the Service of Religion: A Study of Selected Carvers of Ifa Sculptures and Objects in South-Western Nigeria

Significant works have been done on the religious content, uniqueness and functionality of African art and objects. However, not much has been done on carvers of religious sculptures. This paper therefore provides a fresh historical account on the origin and exponents of wood carving in Oyo Southwestern Nigeria. Two prominent families of traditional religious wood carvers in Oyo were studied: the Oke family of Ebike clan and the Odekunle family. A comparative analysis of the works of the two families was carried out to determine the historical timeline, stylistic and thematic features of their cult wood carving, especially (Ifa cult) in Oyo. Findings revealed the wide margin of variation in the works of the two most prominent carver families in Oyo. Other issues bewildering the survival religious wood carving tradition and traditional art in general in the Nigeria were articulated and suggestions were proffered.