Olivewood Carving, Israel

Olivewood is a local material found throughout Israel. The wood carving techniques can be traced back to the 16th and 17th centuries. Traveler's accounts and historical documents describe the beauty of olive wood sculptural objects. Wood carvings are made from the branches of the olive trees which are pruned at the end of the olive picking season. Mostly you'll find religious figurines made from olive wood but below is a picture of a model of Jerusalem made from the material.