Bone Carving - An Intricate Prehistoric Art
- By Maitri Garg
BONE CARVING:
An Intricate Prehistoric Art
Bone
Carving and its History
Bone carving is an ancient Indian art that dates back to prehistoric times. It is a delicate and intricate process of carving designs and figures on various bones. The art of bone carving has been passed down from generation to generation in many Indian cultures and has been used for many purposes, from creating jewellery to religious artifacts.
In India,
artisans have been turning buffalo bones into works of art since at least the
16th century, when royals would commission works like this in ivory. But more
recently, a scarcity of materials and legal restraints have pushed people away
from the craft.
Bone
carving has been used in Indian culture for many different purposes. In ancient
times, it was used to create weapons like arrowheads and knives. Later on, bone
carving was used to create jewellery and decorative items, like combs and
hairpins.
Today,
bone carving is used to create religious idols and other decorative objects
which is the most well-known use of bone carving in Indian culture. These idols
are often made from cow bones and are intricately carved to represent various gods
and goddesses. The carvings on these idols are incredibly detailed and often
include intricate designs and symbols. In addition to religious idols, bone
carving is also used to create decorative items like bangles, necklaces, and
earrings. These items are often decorated with colourful beads and other
embellishments, making them incredibly beautiful and unique.
People
and Place
A number
of artisans practise bone carving in the immediate neighbourhood of their homes
in the small village of Thakurganj. The area is located in the centre of a
Muslim-dominated area of the city. Many bone carvers who have been honing their
trade for centuries reside there. The Muslim communities are the ones who carve
the most. Even so, only a few Hindu groups today have picked up the skill and
produce modest goods. The royals frequently commissioned ivory or bone carving
since it is regarded as a fine craft.
In
Rajasthan, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow, the craft is practised. The craft
is practised in numerous nearby locations near Lucknow, like Mandiao Thanna,
Barabanki, Mahila Raiganj, etc.
Bone
carving is a dying art in India, as fewer and fewer people are taking up the
craft. However, there are still a few skilled artisans who continue to practice
this ancient art form. These artisans are working hard to preserve the
tradition of bone carving in India and to keep this beautiful art form alive
for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
Tools and
Raw Materials used
A hammer
called a basuli is used to carve bones into the correct size and shape.
Reti-files and sandpaper are used to polish or hone the bone's surface. Chausi
is used to carve complicated Jali patterns, Tekora is used to smooth out minor
gaps in Jali patterns, A round wooden block called a "Thiya" serves
as the foundation for Jali art. Prakaar is the name of a compass used to draw
designs on bone. the use of a drilling machine to create holes in bone a
buffing machine is used to polish the finished item.
Buffalo
and camel bones can be purchased from the butcher shop for anywhere between Rs.
3000 and Rs. 5000, depending on size and quality. There are four different
grades: A Grade Tersoor (Rs. 14/kg), B Grade Gola (Rs. 12/kg), C Grade Bhanhu
(Rs. 8/kg), and D Grade Paaya (Rs. 6kg).
A case
study and Production Process
In
Lucknow, India, one group of bone carvers is still standing - Jalaluddin
Akhtar. He stores bones out on the roof of his home and keeps enough stock to
last him six months. These were once widely available when traders sold them
out of giant warehouses. But now, Jalaluddin has to get them from butchers
instead. Down in the workshop, he cuts the bones into smaller pieces and chops
down the bone to make it straight. He learned the art from his uncle in 1980.
It's been in his family for over 50 years. And in his lifetime, he's seen the
industry change. He sells any excess fragments for 13 cents a pound to
factories that grind them up and sell them as fertilizer.
Then he
shaves down the bone pieces with an electric sander. Electricity is expensive
and sometimes unreliable in this part of India, so not all bone carvers can
afford to run tools like these. The Akhtar family says that's part of the
reason many have left the craft. These pieces will later be glued together to
form a lampshade. But first, he needs to boil them with baking soda. They cook
for three hours. In the past, there were workers who specialized in this step,
but now, Jalaluddin has to do all the processes themselves. Once the glue is
dry, he drills tiny holes to create a piece called the net.
He used to
do this by hand, but the drill press has made the process much more efficient.
Then he submerges the bones and hydrogen peroxide to clean them. Normally the
pieces lay out in the sun to whiten, but when it's rainy, Jalaluddin uses a
light bulb instead. He polishes each piece with this buffing machine and then
puts all the parts together to create the shape of a lamp. Some designs call
for different tools like they use umbrella spokes. They grind these spokes,
make holes in them and sharpen their edges. They hammer a wooden handle to make
it ready to create net designs.
Akheel is
one of Jalaluddin's three sons. He hand-carves holes with the help of a wooden
anvil. The block keeps the piece in place while workers carve. They used to fix
the wooden blocks into the ground, but over time, they started using a stone to
weigh down the block instead. Akheel learned the craft at 14 years old and won
a state award at 18. But he wasn't always excited about the job. When he was
young, he used to see his father working from 6 a.m. until 1 a.m. Now he sees
potential in it.
Akheel and
his father work with just one or two other artisans who have different expertise.
Salahuddin Beg's specialty is engraving. He draws all designs by his hands and
doesn’t use any stencil or patterns. He believes the designs have an emotional
connection and look each other.
The Akhtar
family says their business peaked during the early 2000s with support from the
government. Jalaluddin won a national award in 2012. And a couple years later,
the government sent him to Brazil to show off his work. He said, what he sells
here for 20 Rs, people were gladly buying the same thing for 400 Rs in Brazil. But
soon after, the Akhtars said, with a new administration, funding shrunk. There
were around 5-6 workshops back then but now there’s only one left.
His lamps sell
for around 12,000 Rs. They export most of their products to foreign customers. The
one in the picture below is one of their most rare and expensive pieces. It's a
perfume holder made from camel bone. They crafted it 30 years ago and just
recently sold it for $1,200 to an art collector. Akheel is hoping to start
selling their work through social media. And the Akhtars don't plan on stopping
anytime soon. Though they are worried about the future as they don’t know what
will happen in 10 or 20 years from now.
Government
Ban – Challenges Faced by the Artisans
Intricately
carved Ivory fineries, made by the artisans of Lucknow as souvenirs and gifts
of the affluent were patronized by the Nawabs of Awadh. Objects of décor and
utility were made. Many bone-carving designs resemble architecture from the
Mughal empire. 18th-century buildings still stand from when the Muslim dynasty
ruled India. Animals that died naturally were put to use.
The
popularity of these products increased so much that it gradually led to
poaching of elephants at big scale. So, government banned ivory trade in the
1990s to protect elephants. This shortage of Ivory in the market was covered by
bone carving, which received an enormous response as an affordable and legal
alternative to ivory in Indian market.
Then, in
2017, the government put restrictions on slaughterhouses and forced many of
them to shut their doors, cutting off artists’ bone supply. The raw materials
became too expensive for such a small market. Some artisans went abroad for
better work, and others didn't pass on the craft within their families. And
business hasn't been the same ever since.
Many
people, when they look at this artwork, are reserved in their opinion as there
is a taboo of using ivory in the past. But artisans’ thinking, like others',
has transformed, and they understand that harming animals just for the sake of
art is heinous. They would greatly appreciate it if people observed our
determination to change our views while holding on to our culture through our
artwork.
When
people look at their work, artisans desire that they see not only the
superficial intricacies of the artwork but also its history, which has managed
to transcend through thousands of years. They would like them to recognize
through their art and how far they have come from who they once were.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, bone carving is an ancient Indian art that is incredibly beautiful
and intricate. The process of carving designs and figures on bones requires
skill, patience, and creativity. Bone carving is a dying art in India. Many
craftsmen have left this line of work, some are pulling rickshaws and others
have odd jobs. Despite these challenges, there are still skilled artisans like
the Akhtars who are working hard to keep this tradition alive. Bone carving
remains an important part of India's cultural heritage and is a testament to
the creativity and ingenuity of the people who developed this art form
thousands of years ago. If you have the chance to see some of their work, it is
truly a sight to behold.
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