wood carving, as an art form, includes any kind of sculpture
in wood, from the decorative bas-relief on small objects to
life-size figures in the round, furniture, and architectural
decorations.
The woods used vary greatly in hardness and grain. The
most commonly employed woods include boxwood, pine,
pear, walnut, willow, oak, and ebony. The tools are simple
gouges, chisels, wooden mallets, and pointed instruments.
Although they were universally one of the earliest art media,
wood carvings have withstood poorly the vicissitudes of time
and climate. A few ancient examples have been preserved in
the dry climate of Egypt, e.g., the wooden statue of Sheik-el-Beled
(Cairo) from the Old Kingdom.
