Beautifully Carved Bone Handicrafts

Today, bones are making inroads into homes, effectively replacing ivory in decorative and utilitarian items. Artisans primarily from Rajasthan collect raw bones from the market. These are boiled in water and are subjected to a further process of cleaning and bleaching. The bones are then sawn and chiseled so as to smoothen the rough texture. Thereafter, a drawing is made on its surface which, when chiseled to perfection, is buffed up. This gives a coffee-table luster to the finished work. Statues made are then painted using bright colours and gold at times. Sometimes, wood is used in addition to the bone for the purpose of structural changes. Camel bone products look similar to ivory products and, in that sense, are aesthetically as appealing.