Product Detail

This Handcrafted 5" Ironwood Ram Sculpture was made from desert Ironwood, a dense and heavy wood with an intriguing origin.

To be suitable for carving, the wood must be exposed to the extremes of the climatic conditions that exist only in the desert. Years of exposure in this hot, dry environment cause the natural resins to collect, condense and cure, this transforming the wood into very dence and heavy Ironwood.

Ironwood carving is an unusually demanding art form originated by the Seri Indians, a small tribe that have dwelled in the great Sonoran Desert for thousands of years. Once the wood has been gathered, each piece is handcrafted using very simple tools. It requres long hours of carving, hand sanding, plus an artistic "eye" to effectively capture the beautiful burl and distinctive grain unique to Ironwood. the result of this hard work is that no two pieces are identical. There is a limited supply of true Ironwood, and a diminishing number of carvers.

For best results, polish your Ironwood ram with a soft cloth and occassionally apply a light coat of neutral paste-type shoe wax.