Sri Lanka handicrafts, Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Handicrafts
Sri Lanka handicrafts are of a history that runs back to millenniums. Production of Sri Lanka's handicrafts, with the exception of Jewelry, is essentially a cottage industry: products are turned out making use of natural raw materials by means of time tested age-old techniques. The traditional skills have been preserved with its purity, resulting in the continuance of characteristic identity of Sri Lanka Handicrafts.
Sri Lanka's ancient social system having its Indo-Aryan roots has been largely instrumental in preserving traditional skills with its characteristic identity; certain arts and crafts were assigned to defined socio-occupational groups. Sri Lanka's wide variety of very attractive handicrafts can be found throughout the island in shops, street stalls and government-run stores. Ivory and tortoise shell handicrafts once sold at large, are no longer legal in Sri Lanka.
Pottery in Sri Lanka
Pottery is one of the oldest handicrafts in Sri Lanka. The primarily utilitarian character of Sri Lankan pottery has been continuing to exist since the very beginning of Aryan Sinhalese civilization of Sri Lanka. The simplicity of ornamentation and charm of the elegance of pottery have held fast in the island for more than a couple of millenniums and a half in Sri Lanka.
Low fired cooking pots, cooking pans, jugs, bowls, goblets, tiles, vases, are the most widely used kitchen utensils of Sri Lanka. In addition to the kitchen pots and pans, intricately designed products such as terracotta figures and carved vases too are popular in Sri Lanka. Ornaments such as figurines and delightful animals with distinctly Sinhalese characteristics are also produced at the pottery workshops in the countryside.
Sri Lanka pottery is turned out by means of a small wheel being turned by the potter while shaping the lump of clay with hands and then oven-hardened in a traditional kiln built of brick. The major quantity of the products is plain utensils devoid of decoration. With the demand for decorated pottery being on the rise, dying the wet clay in patterns and glazing are now introduced.
Wood carving in Sri Lanka
Handicraft of woodcarving in Sri Lanka has a long history. The tradition of woodcarving in Sri Lanka is manifested at Lankatilaka Temple and Embekke Devale at Kandy. At these temples, miniature replicas of the low-relief wood carving done by the traditional woodcarvers can be bought at fair prices. The three dimensional carvings of ebony Elephants, Buddha are popular in Sri Lanka. Wood-carved decorative panels are used widely in Sri Lanka in the trade of interior decoration too.
A wide range of handicraft items made of wood combine utility and beauty adding elegance to your lifestyle. wall hangings, fancy jewelry, figurines, sculpture, lacquer products, gift boxes, toys, educational items for pre-school children, household items are some of the woodcraft items produced in Sri Lanka.
Metal work in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka has a long tradition in metalwork. Metal work is produced with the whole range of metals and alloys in Sri Lanka: gold, silver, brass, tin, lead and iron, as well as their various alloys, in all sorts of work ranging from ornamental casting and pierced designs. Handicrafts of damascene- decorating metal such as iron or steel with wavy patterns of etching or inlays of precious metals and filigree-delicate decorative openwork made from thin precious metal twisted wire are produced in Sri Lanka in traditional techniques.
Brassware in Sri Lanka
Brassware is produced in two main techniques: wrought and cast.
Bowls, tea services, trays, and ornamental ware as well as decorative ware are produced in wrought technique.