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Bone carving

Created by: PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search EngineDated: 0001
Bone carving encompasses the acts of creating art, tools, and other goods by carving animal bones, antlers, and horns. It can result in the ornamentation of a bone or the creation of a distinct object. Bone carving has been practiced by a variety of world cultures, sometimes as a cheaper, and recently a legal, substitute for ivory carving. It was important in prehistoric art, with notable figures like the Swimming Reindeer, made of antler, and many of the Venus figurines.
66 Media in collectionpage 1 of 1
Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295 - Left

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution (1929) (14783570345)

Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution (...

Identifier: annualreportofbo1929smit (find matches) Title: Annual report of the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution Year: 1846 (1840s) Authors: Smithsonian Institution. Board of Regents United St... More

Bone plaque (with figure of a woman)

Bone plaque (with figure of a woman)

A bone plaque showing the figure of a woman carved in relief. She is naked, with a narrow band of pleated fabric ending in a tassel twined around her. Her legs are crossed at the ankle and one hand rests on her... More

Pleated Fan And Case, 1880–1900 (CH 18391173)

Pleated Fan And Case, 1880–1900 (CH 18391173)

Pleated fan. Leaf of egg-shell mousseline de soie; obverse applied with seven medallions of same materials; embroidered with gold thread, and gilt and silver sequins outlining medallions and forming designs of... More

Button, mid-19th century (CH 18711597)

Button, mid-19th century (CH 18711597)

Circular button, convex (with flattened top), tin back and brass shank. Button is made of a disc of carved bone showing a dog standing. On reverse: "Extra fein." On card 40

Bulletin (1946) (19806438063) - Public domain  engraving

Bulletin (1946) (19806438063) - Public domain engraving

Title: Bulletin Identifier: bulletin14321946smit (find matches) Year: 1901 (1900s) Authors: Smithsonian Institution. Bureau of American Ethnology Subjects: Ethnology Publisher: Washington : G. P. O. Contribut... More

Tlingit bone carvings, Sitka, Alaska, circa 1888 (AL+CA 6060)

Tlingit bone carvings, Sitka, Alaska, circa 1888 (AL+CA 6060)

Printed on mat: Thlingit Carvings in Bone, Sitka, Alaska. PH Coll 317.29 Subjects (LCTGM): Tlingit Indians--Arts & crafts--Alaska; Alaska Natives--Arts & crafts--Alaska--Sitka; Hides & skins Subjects (LCSH): T... More

Coptic - Plaque with a Female Figure - Walters 7134

Coptic - Plaque with a Female Figure - Walters 7134

This carving of a partially nude woman draped in a cloth was most likely used to decorate a piece of household furniture. The plaque, found at Alexandria (in Northern Egypt), was buried in the earth for many c... More

PSM V41 D040 Carved bones from the grotto of marsoulas

PSM V41 D040 Carved bones from the grotto of marsoulas

Carved_bones_from_the_grotto_of_marsoulas.jpg

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295 - Back

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Coptic - Jewelry Box with Dancers and Faun - Walters 7140 - Three Quarter

Coptic - Jewelry Box with Dancers and Faun - Walters 7140 - Three Quar...

This reconstructed wood and bone box was probably used by a wealthy woman to store her precious jewelry. Two different techniques were used to carve the bone plaques on its sides and top. For a number of the ... More

Tsimshian club circa 1750

Tsimshian club circa 1750

Ceremonial club of Antler bone, 18.5 in/47 cm. long. See p. 285 of book for full descrip.

Female Figure LACMA M.73.5.369 - Public domain  print

Female Figure LACMA M.73.5.369 - Public domain print

Egypt, 8th-9th century Sculpture Bone, carved The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection, gift of Joan Palevsky (M.73.5.369) Islamic Art

The history of mankind (1896) (14577239708)

The history of mankind (1896) (14577239708)

Identifier: historyofmankind01ratz (find matches) Title: The history of mankind Year: 1896 (1890s) Authors: Ratzel, Friedrich, 1844-1904 Butler, Arthur John, 1844-1910 Subjects: Ethnology Anthropology Publi... More

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295 - Three Quarter (2)

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Pleated Fan And Case, early 20th century (CH 18402923)

Pleated Fan And Case, early 20th century (CH 18402923)

Pleated fan. Gold net leaf heavily embroidered with variously shaped gold spangles. Carved, pierced and gilded bone sticks showing scrolls and flowers. Mother-of-pearl washer and gilt metal bail.

Pleated Fan, ca. 1840 (CH 18173653)

Pleated Fan, ca. 1840 (CH 18173653)

Fan leaf with gilded and hand-colored lithographs showing genre scenes in the style of François Boucher within an elaborate setting of foliage and gothic architecture. Bone sticks and mother-of-pearl guards ar... More

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295 - Top

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Coptic - Plaque with Apollo - Walters 7143

Coptic - Plaque with Apollo - Walters 7143

Following the traditions of Greek sculpture, Apollo is shown leaning languidly against a tree with one arm resting on his lyre (harp). Mythological figures, although pagan, continued to be used as decorative m... More

Levantine - Jewish Ossuary - Walters 23240

Levantine - Jewish Ossuary - Walters 23240

The shape of this piece was inspired by wooden chests that were used in Jewish homes. The origin of the Jewish ossuary (a box for holding bones) can be traced back to the late 1st century BC, during the time wh... More

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (1 of 4)

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (1 of 4)

Egypt, Islamic; Fatimid, 11th century Sculpture Bone, carved Height of hexagons: 1 3/16 in. (3.01 cm); Height of four sided element: 1 in. (2.54 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Cha... More

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Plaque LACMA M.2002.1.536 - Egypt

Plaque LACMA M.2002.1.536 - Egypt

Egypt, 8th century Sculpture Bone, carved 3 15/16 x 1 3/8 in. (10 x 3.49 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Chandler Frost (M.2002.1.536) Islamic Art

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (4 of 4)

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (4 of 4)

Egypt, Islamic; Fatimid, 11th century Sculpture Bone, carved Height of hexagons: 1 3/16 in. (3.01 cm); Height of four sided element: 1 in. (2.54 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Cha... More

Handbook to the ethnographical collections (1910) (14596895307)

Handbook to the ethnographical collections (1910) (14596895307)

Identifier: handbooktoethnog00brit (find matches) Title: Handbook to the ethnographical collections Year: 1910 (1910s) Authors: British Museum. Dept. of British and Mediaeval Antiquities and Ethnography Joyc... More

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295 - Right

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Viking - Whale-Bone Plaque - Walters 711169

Viking - Whale-Bone Plaque - Walters 711169

Similar plaques of whale bone carved with confronted monster heads are found frequently in the graves of wealthy Viking women in Norway. The monster heads, similar to the figureheads attached to Viking ship pr... More

FMIB 44687 Scrimshawed Whale's Teeth Engraved by Whalemen

FMIB 44687 Scrimshawed Whale's Teeth Engraved by Whalemen

Scrimshawed Whale's Teeth Engraved by Whalemen Subject: Scrimshaws, Whaling, Bone carving Tag: Aquatic Mammals

Tairona - Bone Carving of a Shaman-Vulture - Walters 2006151 - Back

Tairona - Bone Carving of a Shaman-Vulture - Walters 2006151 - Back

The carved bone finial likely once graced the head of a ritual staff-like implement of a shaman. Finials are a fairly rare class of object among northern South American material culture, with gold examples atte... More

Pleated Fan And Case, early 20th century (CH 18402923-2)

Pleated Fan And Case, early 20th century (CH 18402923-2)

Pleated fan. Gold net leaf heavily embroidered with variously shaped gold spangles. Carved, pierced and gilded bone sticks showing scrolls and flowers. Mother-of-pearl washer and gilt metal bail.

The voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe; with a historical review of previous journeys along the north coast of the Old World (1882) (14783106555)

The voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe; with a historical review...

Identifier: voyageofvegaroun00nord (find matches) Title: The voyage of the Vega round Asia and Europe; with a historical review of previous journeys along the north coast of the Old World Year: 1882 (1880s) A... More

Roman Bone Carving - Public domain museum image. A statue of a woman's face on a wall

Roman Bone Carving - Public domain museum image. A statue of a woman's...

A face carved on a piece of curved bone. The face is framed by hair and part of a winged head-dress remains. Coptic.

Public Domain Images - Casket LACMA 47.8.25

Public Domain Images - Casket LACMA 47.8.25

Italy, circa 1400 Furnishings; Accessories Carved bone, stained horn, wood, pigment, gilt metal Purchased with funds provided by the William Randolph Hearst Foundation (47.8.25) Decorative Arts and Design Cur... More

Russian - Desk with Animals and Decoration - Walters 71429

Russian - Desk with Animals and Decoration - Walters 71429

This seven-drawer miniature writing desk is known as a "teremok" (small tower) cabinet. Flat walrus-ivory and bone plaques, some of which have been stained moss green, are affixed by nails to the cabinet's fron... More

Workshop of the Embriachi family - Bridal Casket with Scenes from the Life of Paris - Walters 71242 (2)

Workshop of the Embriachi family - Bridal Casket with Scenes from the ...

The workshop of the Embriachi family in Venice produced a variety of luxury objects decorated with carved plaques of bone and inlays of stained wood, bone, and horn. The scenes are taken from classical literatu... More

FMIB 44688 Jagging Wheels, carved from Whale's Teeth, Bone, Etc, by the Whalemen

FMIB 44688 Jagging Wheels, carved from Whale's Teeth, Bone, Etc, by th...

Jagging Wheels, carved from Whale's Teeth, Bone, Etc., by the Whalemen Subject: Kitchen utensils, Bone carving Tag: Aquatic Mammals

Pleated Fan, ca. 1840 (CH 18173653-2)

Pleated Fan, ca. 1840 (CH 18173653-2)

Fan leaf with gilded and hand-colored lithographs showing genre scenes in the style of François Boucher within an elaborate setting of foliage and gothic architecture. Bone sticks and mother-of-pearl guards ar... More

Pleated Fan, 19th century (CH 18472611-2)

Pleated Fan, 19th century (CH 18472611-2)

Pleated fan. Printed and hand-colored paper leaf. Obverse: figures in a landscape with country home playing the game Blind Man's Bluff. Reverse: a pastoral boating scene. Carved, drilled and gilded bone sticks... More

A ride across a continent- a personal narrative of wanderings through Nicaragua and Costa Rica (1868) (14791560943)

A ride across a continent- a personal narrative of wanderings through ...

Identifier: rideacrosscontin02boyluoft (find matches) Title: A ride across a continent: a personal narrative of wanderings through Nicaragua and Costa Rica Year: 1868 (1860s) Authors: Boyle, Frederick, b. 18... More

Carving of a human head - Public domain museum image. A statue of a man with a headdress on a white surface

Carving of a human head - Public domain museum image. A statue of a ma...

A carving of a human head in bone. The head is surrounded by an oval and there are three tubular openings running through the centre of the piece. Coptic.

Tairona - Bone Carving of a Shaman-Vulture - Walters 2006151

Tairona - Bone Carving of a Shaman-Vulture - Walters 2006151

The carved bone finial likely once graced the head of a ritual staff-like implement of a shaman. Finials are a fairly rare class of object among northern South American material culture, with gold examples atte... More

Workshop of Embriachi - Triptych with the Crucifixion and Other Scenes - Walters 7198 - Front Open

Workshop of Embriachi - Triptych with the Crucifixion and Other Scenes...

The central scene of the Crucifixion is composed of five bone plaques, flanked by the Resurrection on the left and Christ's Appearance to the Magdalen on the right. Below, the central figure of the Virgin, hold... More

Stamp Seal LACMA M.76.174.30

Stamp Seal LACMA M.76.174.30

Tools and Equipment; seals Bone, carved 1 1/8 x 1 1/4 in. (3 x 3.2 cm) Gift of Nasli M. Heeramaneck (M.76.174.30) Art of the Ancient Near East

Panel LACMA M.2002.1.521 - Egypt

Panel LACMA M.2002.1.521 - Egypt

Egypt, 7th-8th century Sculpture Bone, carved 4 1/4 x 2 1/2 in. (10.79 x 6.35 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Chandler Frost (M.2002.1.521) Islamic Art Currently on public view: Ahma... More

The history of mankind (1896) (14740870656)

The history of mankind (1896) (14740870656)

Identifier: historyofmankind01ratz (find matches) Title: The history of mankind Year: 1896 (1890s) Authors: Ratzel, Friedrich, 1844-1904 Butler, Arthur John, 1844-1910 Subjects: Ethnology Anthropology Publi... More

Wealth of the Uintah Basin, Utah, and automobile guide (1914) (14779688572)

Wealth of the Uintah Basin, Utah, and automobile guide (1914) (1477968...

Identifier: wealthofuintahba00cook (find matches) Title: Wealth of the Uintah Basin, Utah, and automobile guide .. Year: 1914 (1910s) Authors: Cook, Charles Booker, 1863- (from old catalog) Subjects: Publis... More

Tairona - Bone Carving of a Shaman-Vulture - Walters 2006151 - Left Side

Tairona - Bone Carving of a Shaman-Vulture - Walters 2006151 - Left Si...

The carved bone finial likely once graced the head of a ritual staff-like implement of a shaman. Finials are a fairly rare class of object among northern South American material culture, with gold examples atte... More

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Story of Joseph - Walters 71295 - Three Quarter

Byzantine - Box with Scenes from the Fall of Adam and Eve and the Stor...

The front of this casket depicts the Fall of Adam and the Temptation of Eve, flanking the Sorrowing Adam below the lockplate. A fourth plaque on the back of the casket portrays Adam hiding behind a tree and cov... More

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (3 of 4)

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (3 of 4)

Egypt, Islamic; Fatimid, 11th century Sculpture Bone, carved Height of hexagons: 1 3/16 in. (3.01 cm); Height of four sided element: 1 in. (2.54 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Cha... More

Female Figure LACMA M.73.5.368 - Egypt

Female Figure LACMA M.73.5.368 - Egypt

Egypt, 8th-10th century Sculpture Bone, carved The Nasli M. Heeramaneck Collection, gift of Joan Palevsky (M.73.5.368) Islamic Art

Button, mid-19th century (CH 18711597-2)

Button, mid-19th century (CH 18711597-2)

Circular button, convex (with flattened top), tin back and brass shank. Button is made of a disc of carved bone showing a dog standing. On reverse: "Extra fein." On card 40

Plaque LACMA M.2002.1.528 - Egypt

Plaque LACMA M.2002.1.528 - Egypt

Egypt, 8th century Sculpture Bone, carved 1 7/16 x 2 11/16 in. (3.65 x 6.82 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Chandler Frost (M.2002.1.528) Islamic Art

The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17974088198)

The American Museum journal (c1900-(1918)) (17974088198)

Title: The American Museum journal Identifier: americanmuseumjo18amer (find matches) Year: c1900-(1918) (c190s) Authors: American Museum of Natural History Subjects: Natural history Publisher: New York : Amer... More

Roman Ivory Plaque - Public domain museum image. A wooden carving of a man and a woman

Roman Ivory Plaque - Public domain museum image. A wooden carving of a...

A plaque carved in relief on bone. It shows the figure of a naked man. He is twisted to the right, leaning on a rectangular object and holding a piece of cloth over his head. Coptic.

Greek - Hand Cross with Scenes from the Life of Christ - Walters 71138

Greek - Hand Cross with Scenes from the Life of Christ - Walters 71138

This cross of bone carved in minute relief with scenes from the life of Christ has been encased in gilded silver decorated with the filigree enamel work characteristic of objects used in the liturgy of the East... More

Russian - Desk with Animals and Decoration - Walters 71429 - Three Quarter

Russian - Desk with Animals and Decoration - Walters 71429 - Three Qua...

This seven-drawer miniature writing desk is known as a "teremok" (small tower) cabinet. Flat walrus-ivory and bone plaques, some of which have been stained moss green, are affixed by nails to the cabinet's fron... More

Workshop of the Embriachi family - Bridal Casket with Scenes from the Life of Paris - Walters 71242

Workshop of the Embriachi family - Bridal Casket with Scenes from the ...

The workshop of the Embriachi family in Venice produced a variety of luxury objects decorated with carved plaques of bone and inlays of stained wood, bone, and horn. The scenes are taken from classical literatu... More

Pleated Fan, 19th century (CH 18472611)

Pleated Fan, 19th century (CH 18472611)

Pleated fan. Printed and hand-colored paper leaf. Obverse: figures in a landscape with country home playing the game Blind Man's Bluff. Reverse: a pastoral boating scene. Carved, drilled and gilded bone sticks... More

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (2 of 4)

Polygonal elements LACMA M.2002.1.537a-pp (2 of 4)

Egypt, Islamic; Fatimid, 11th century Sculpture Bone, carved Height of hexagons: 1 3/16 in. (3.01 cm); Height of four sided element: 1 in. (2.54 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Cha... More

Catalogue of objects used by a prehistoric people in what is now Douglas and Sarpy counties, Nebraska - secured through exploration work of the Robert F. Gilder archeological survey of 1907 to 1912 (14773423815)

Catalogue of objects used by a prehistoric people in what is now Dougl...

Identifier: catalogueofobjec00gild (find matches) Title: Catalogue of objects used by a prehistoric people in what is now Douglas and Sarpy counties, Nebraska : secured through exploration work of the Robert ... More

Discovery (20969097681) - Public domain book illustration

Discovery (20969097681) - Public domain book illustration

Title: Discovery Identifier: discovery0304londuoft (find matches) Year: [1] (s) Authors: Subjects: Science Publisher: London (etc. ) Professional and Industrial Pub. Co. (etc. ) Contributing Library: Gerstei... More

German - Reliquary with Apostles - Walters 71146

German - Reliquary with Apostles - Walters 71146

This octagonal reliquary, or container for saints' relics, is decorated with standing figures of eight apostles, all carved in a compact, linear style more typical of the 11th and 12th centuries. The shape of t... More

Greek - Hand Cross with Scenes from the Life of Christ - Walters 71138 (2)

Greek - Hand Cross with Scenes from the Life of Christ - Walters 71138...

This cross of bone carved in minute relief with scenes from the life of Christ has been encased in gilded silver decorated with the filigree enamel work characteristic of objects used in the liturgy of the East... More

Parthian, 1st-2nd Century - Carved Bone - 1933.186 - Cleveland Museum of Art

Parthian, 1st-2nd Century - Carved Bone - 1933.186 - Cleveland Museum ...

A wooden tube with a hole in the middle, Parthian, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

Frieze LACMA M.2002.1.522 - Egypt

Frieze LACMA M.2002.1.522 - Egypt

Egypt, 10th-11th century Architecture; Architectural Elements Bone, carved 2 1/4 x 1 1/16 in. (5.71 x 2.69 cm) The Madina Collection of Islamic Art, gift of Camilla Chandler Frost (M.2002.1.522) Islamic Art

Wooden figure from a Maori chief's house, New Zealand

Wooden figure from a Maori chief's house, New Zealand

Wooden figure from a Maori chief's house, New Zealand Identifier: handbooktoethnog00brit (find matches) Title: Handbook to the ethnographical collections Year: 1910 (1910s) Authors: British Museum. Dept. of B... More

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