Indian Hand Carved Artifacts – An Exotic 5th Wedding Anniversary Wooden Gift

In ancient times, trees symbolized strength and wisdom. By the 5th year of marriage, the couple would have developed a strong deep rooted bond like a venerable oak tree and is gaining insight and understanding from the mistakes and failings of the initial five years. By now the pair would have learned the most important lesson and secret to a successful marriage is forgiveness.

Celebrating the first five years of marriage is a huge milestone. And like all wedding anniversaries, the 5th anniversary gifts has a specific material out of which they are made, that is Wood. The tradition of gifting wooden artifacts for the fifth wedding anniversary comes from practices dating from Roman times, when oak pieces were given to represent strength, stability, and longevity, all necessary for a successful marriage. These days various other types of wood like sheesham are given for fifth year anniversary gifts, yet the message nonetheless remains the same, that is, the marriage is all about planting roots and settling into a durable and long-lived union.

Wood might be less conventional gift material than it was during the Roman times, but there are still plenty of ways to give the traditional wooden gift on the 5th wedding anniversary. Whether you are celebrating your own anniversary or looking to gift to a couple you know, Indian handcrafted artifacts area perfect choice.

The following sequence of steps shows the techniques that are involved in the making of a traditional Indian wooden hand crafted artifact:

Sourcing

Sourcing and transporting raw material. Most of the wood used are either Indian Rosewood (Sheesham) or Mango wood (Tree bearing Mango fruit).

Seasoning

The wood planks so obtained are numbered and dated and piled in a safe location not exposed to direct sunlight. Passage of air between the planks allows seasoning of the wood which may be a process taking 1-4 years.

Outlining

The seasoned wood is then sent to the carpenter who carries out outlining on the log of wood using a template and cutting or chiselling the edges of the design.

Carving

Dismantled pieces are then carved at edges. The process includes inscribing (making motifs on wood), undercutting (creating 3 dimensional layers), open or lattice work (creating see-through jali work), deep carving (creating raised designs of up to 5 inch depth), semi carving (thin panel design along the rim with central motif) or shallow carving (motifs chased in pencil to give a little depth).

Detailing

Making fine details using hand chisels.

Nailing and Assembling

Assembling all parts using nails (in case of large products, smaller pieces are joined together and then carved). Accurately made carpentry joineries; hinge joint, dove and tail joint are used.

Finishing

Smoothing the surface, applying protective coating and finishing the product.