Ebony (wood)

Ebony is a dense black, or near black, hardwood. It is most commonly yielded by some species in the genus Diospyros. Note that most species in this genus do not yield black woods, with the tree that supplies persimmons as a well-known example. Like many woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a subtle luster when polished.

The word ebony comes from the Ancient Egyptian hbny, through the Ancient Greek ἔβενος (ébenos), as well as Latin and Middle English.

Species

Elephant carvings from Sri Lanka, probably Diospyros ebenum

Striped ebony

The classic species to yield ebony is Diospyros ebenum (Ceylon ebony), that grows in southern India and Sri Lanka. But there are more species, such as D. crassiflora (Gabon ebony), usually in western Africa, D. humilis (Queensland ebony), native to Queensland, the Northern Territory, New Guinea and Timor, and others.

Some species in this genus yield an ebony with similar properties, but are striped rather than being evenly black. For example, D. celebica (Sulawesi ebony), native to Indonesia is prized for its striped look.

The ebony of the Ancient Egyptians does not belong to the genus Diospyros.

Uses

Ebony label depicting the pharaoh Den, found in his tomb in Abydos, circa 3000 BC

Chess board, 1608

Ebony has been used for a very long time, and carved pieces have been found in Ancient Egyptian tombs.

By the end of the 16th century, high-price cabinets for the luxury trade were made of ebony in Antwerp. The wood's fine structure helped people create refined moldings framing highly detailed pictorial panels with carving in very low relief (bas-relief), usually of allegorical subjects, or with scenes taken from classical or Christian history. Within a short time, such cabinets were also being made in Paris, where their makers became known as ébénistes, which remains the French term for a cabinetmaker.

Modern uses are largely restricted to small items, such as crucifixes, the main body of some musical instruments such as the clarinet, oboe, or piccolo and musical instrument parts, including black piano, organ, and harpsichord keys; violin, viola, mandolin, guitar, double bass, and cello fingerboards; tailpieces; tuning pegs; chinrests; and bow frogs. Many plectrums, or guitar picks, are made from ebony.

In the past, black chess pieces were often made from ebony, with boxwood or ivory being used for the white pieces. Modern East Midlands-style lace-making bobbins, also being small, are often made of ebony and look particularly decorative when bound with brass or silver wire. Some expensive handgun grips and rifle fore-end tips are still made of ebony, as are the butts of pool cues.

As a result of unsustainable harvesting, many tree species yielding ebony are now considered threatened. Most indigenous ebony trees in Africa in particular have been cut down, illegally.

Protection

In Sri Lanka, ebony is a protected species and harvesting and sale of ebony is illegal and punishable by imprisonment.

In 2011, the Gibson Guitar company was raided by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for violations of the Lacey Act of 1900, which prohibits the illegal importation of threatened woods and other materials.

An ebony and rosewood expert at the Missouri Botanical Garden calls the Madagascar wood trade the "equivalent of Africa's blood diamonds".

Gallery

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  Ebony and ivory keys in a piano keyboard
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  Japanese clothes brush
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  Chess set
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  Kamagong (ebony) chair
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  Planks of wood including Gabon ebony
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  Violin fingerboard and tuning pegs
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  A Gibson Les Paul guitar with an ebony fretboard

Other websites

• Red List – For recommendations found under the IUCN