Wooden Ornaments are produced in the South western coastal belt of Sri Lanka. The city of South costal has a long heritage in the specialized handicraft of producing Wooden Masks. Wooden Masks in a wide range of sizes in Black colors are made of the timber locally called ‘Kaluwara” (Ebony) and black in natural colour.  Ebony tree that grows in Sri Lanka and it is very rear wood and expensive wood; it is an ideal material to turn out wooden ornaments.

The technique of producing masks has been passed from generation to generation from the ancient times. The logs of Kaluwara are dried in the hard tropical sun till the timber is formed and then cut into pieces of the required sizes.

Then the basic shape of the mask is fashioned by means of chisels and mallets out of the cut piece of the log accordingly to the measurements given in ancient recorded instructions of seasoning the timber. The seasoned piece of timber is carved, smoothened and painted. The Wooden ornaments each with its distinctive features and black in color, are carved to depict gods, humans, demons, elephants.

Carved wooden furniture and household items is also a popular buy amongst locals and foreigners alike.                                                

The masks displayed here are modern, carved from a soft wood that is similar to balsa wood.

Sri Lankan fine wood

Dimensions (inch) (WxH) :  2  x  4