Transformations of Wood in Costa Rican Artisan Traditions

Abstract

Costa Rica is known for its biodiversity, evident in thevariety of tropical woods available for elaboration into a widerange of objects. These include masks, bows and arrows,sculptures, troughs, furniture, yokes, wheels and oxcarts.Cultural diversity in wood products is manifest in diverseplaces of origin, ethnicities of woodworkers, and knowledgeand techniques. Transformations proceed not only in thematerial—a piece of wood—but also in the socioculturalmeanings of the object produced: traditional or innovative,change vs. continuity in domestic, decorative or ritual uses;function in work and play; and broader dimensions ofcommercialization, sustainability and identity