Beautifully carved solid wood mimicking a herringbone weave.

Please see 20 pictures for detail of actual item condition. Measures 13” across and 2 1/4” tall.

This is a spectacular piece of illusion carving (often called trompe-l'œil or a "basket illusion" carving), which is a hallmark of the elite woodworkers at the Kungoni Art Craft Centre.

Looking closely the telltale signs of a single piece of carved timber Continuous Wood Grain: If you look at the "over-and-under" geometric blocks, the natural grain of a single piece of wood runs continuously right through the carved cuts.

Chisel and Gouge Marks: You can see the micro-textures left behind by the carver's sharp hand tools. The deep, dark "valleys" between the faux-woven strands are clean V-grooves cut directly into a solid wood block.

Solid Rim and Notch Cuts: The rim is not a wrapped hoop. It is a solid, continuous piece of wood where the carver has painstakingly chiseled vertical lines and darkened them with scorching or dye to look like wrapped fiber binding.

The Kungoni artisans are legendary for pushing the boundaries of woodcarving to honor traditional Malawian culture, and they have masterfully turned a solid block of wood into what looks like a flexible, woven banga basket. It is an incredible piece of fine art!