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🏺 Slow Craft· tagua· ivory palm· carving
Tallado en Tagua, San José
The seed of the ivory palm — renewable, carve-able, older than plastic
The seed of the ivory palm — renewable, carve-able, older than plastic
Tagua — the seed of the ivory palm, Phytelephas macrocarpa — has been carved in Costa Rica for over a century. The material starts as a fibrous pod the size of a tangerine and hardens on drying to a density and texture indistinguishable from elephant ivory. A small community of carvers in the Mercado de Artesanías in San José works tagua into animals, faces, and abstract forms using dental drills and improvised burins. The material holds fine detail at two millimetres. Unlike ivory, tagua is renewable: the palm produces new pods continuously without being felled. The carvers source their pods from Chorotega territory in Guanacaste and from lowland farms in Sarapiquí.
Strongly tied to local practice
Substantial cultural depth
Watch carvers at the Mercado de Artesanías transform tagua pods into detailed animals, faces, and abstract forms using dental drills and hand-made burins, with the material capable of holding detail at two millimetres. The workshop environment involves close observation of intricate handiwork; plan for a leisurely visit to understand the sourcing and carving process without time pressure.
How to Participate
Visit the carvers' stalls at Mercado de Artesanías in San José Centro during market hours to watch artisans at work and purchase finished pieces directly.
What to Expect
Who This Is For
San José Centro
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