Sri Lanka · Carving / Decorative Craft
දන්ත ශිල්ප (Danta Silpa)
Danta silpa (දන්ත ශිල්ප — 'tooth craft') is Sri Lanka's ivory and bone carving tradition — historically producing the finest carved ivory objects in South Asia: the ivory handles of the Kandyan ceremonial fans (thattuva), the decorative ivory panels of royal furniture, and the carved ivory caskets for relic presentation. Since the 1989 CITES ivory ban, Sri Lanka's danta silpa tradition has adapted to legal bone and antler as primary materials — but the carving technique is identical and the tacit knowledge transferable. The defining Sri Lanka danta silpa technique is the translucency test: the correct thickness for carved ivory or bone panels is determined not by measurement but by holding the piece to a candle flame — 'the ivory glows from within at the correct thickness; at too great a thickness, it is opaque; at too thin, it appears transparent rather than glowing.' This internal glow assessment calibrates final panel thickness to within approximately 1mm.
Risk level: Critically Endangered · Sri Lanka national ICH list
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