Indian Ebony
| Common Name | Ceylon Ebony, East Indian Ebony or simply Indian Ebony. Locally it is known as temburini or by its Hindi name tendu. In Odisha, Jharkhand, and Assam, it is known as kendu. |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Diospyros ebenum |
| Distribution | The natural and present‐day distribution of the species is in southeast asia. It is most commonly seen in South India and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, Broun observed the species in forests all over the island. Although it was most abundant in dry forests, it also appeared in moist forests in the south of the island. |
| Tree Size | The tree can grow upto a height of about 50-80 ft (15-25 m) tall, with a trunk diameter of about 1-2 ft (.3-.6 m) |
| Dried Weight ( average ) | 57 lbs/ft3 (915 kg/m3). |
| Specific Gravity | (Basic, 12% MC): .70, .91 |
| Janka Hardness | 2,430 lbf (10,790 N) |
Still usually stated as Ceylon Ebony as a result of the medium-sized tree reaching its best development in Sri Lanka (formerly referred to as Ceylon). It’s additionally typically brought up as East Indian Ebony or just Indian Ebony. Indian Ebony is an exotic wood most ordinarily native to southern India and Sri Lanka. it's a particularly hard, dense, and serious tropical hardwood, with an awfully fine texture. The heartwood may be a uniform pitchy or it will be black-brown streaky. Indian Ebony is somewhat troublesome to work with hand and machine tools owing to its irregular grain pattern, however is great for wood turning and carving, also as inlays, tool and knife handles, door knobs, piano and organ keys, and instrument wood. It responds to shine fairly well.
Despite the high price of the species and also the potential that the species guarantees with scientific management, it doesn't receive a lot of attention from the scientific world. The species is classed as vulnerable in Sri lanka and its trade is prohibited in each India and Sri Lanka. However, within the course of the forest system restoration in South India, the species is employed and distributed.
The areas of black duramen are very sturdy to the result of decay resistance. Though severe reactions are quite uncommon, Ebony within the Diospyros genus has been reportable as a sensitiser. usually commonest reactions merely embrace eye, skin, and metabolic process irritation. The wood dust will cause acute dermatitis, skin inflammation, sneezing, potential skin sensitiser. Correct tools and machineries ought to be used in the least times whereas operating with this wood. Along with that correct safety measures mustn't be overlooked.
Color and Appearance: The color of the heartwood of this tree is coal black, generally it may be seen with gray or dark brown streaks. Pale yellow sapwood is clearly differentiated from heartwood. Ironically, the best quality ebony seems like black plastic.
Grain and Texture: Grain is usually straight or generally irregular, with a fine, uniform texture. Thanks to this irregularity in its grain pattern it is quite difficult to work with. It has a high level of natural luster. Diffuse-porous; medium to massive pores in no specific arrangement; solitary and radial multiples of 2-3; wood deposits (black) common, that makes it tough to envision individual pores on backcloth of black heartwood; growth rings indistinct; rays not visible while not lens; parenchyma diffuse-in-aggregates, vasicentric, banded (reticulate).
Workability: Overall this wood is kind of tough to figure with on account of its density and powerful blunting result on cutting edges.Therefore sturdy and extremely sharp tools ought to be used. It may be tough to dry, with checks or different drying defects which may develop within the wood during the drying method. It may be tough to attach thanks to its high oil content. Ebony turns fantastically, and takes a really high natural and swish polish.
Odor: No characteristic odor is while operating with this wood.
Availability: Although Ceylon Ebony was the initial ebony of commerce, it’s rarely offered these days. Expect the costs of this wood to be terribly high, and accessibility to be terribly scarce. different ebonies like Gaboon or Macassar are additionally offered, although each is terribly pricey. This wood species isn't listed within the CITES Appendices, however is reportable by the IUCN as being knowledge deficient. Thanks to exploitation, restrictions are placed on the export of this ebony species in India and state.
Common Uses: This wood is often used to build Inlay, carving, device elements (piano keys, bridges, nuts, etc.), and turned objects. Bark of an ebony tree may be used as a supply of navy pigment that's used for painting of material. Ancient Egyptians used wood of ebony for carving. Several pharaohs were buried with things made of ebony. The Roots of some ebony trees may be utilized in treatment of infectious disease, intestinal parasites, infectious disease and fever.
Frequently asked Questions
Both the Indian ebony and the Gaboon ebony have been used since time immemorial. In the case of the Indian or the Ceylon ebony ancient Egyptians used wood of ebony for carving. Several pharaohs were buried with things made of ebony. The Roots of some ebony trees may be utilized in treatment of infectious disease, intestinal parasites, infectious disease and fever. Whereas the gaboon ebony is highly valued throughout many civilizations as the purest of all black wood, it has been found in the most coveted places within Egyptian tombs. These woods from the ebony tree are not only favored by the Egyptian royalty but royalty in general as these were known to be used as drinking cups by the ancient kings of India and raw material for carving and sculpting by sculptors.
The color of the heartwood of the Indian ebony tree is coal black, generally it may be seen with gray or dark brown streaks. Pale yellow sapwood is clearly differentiated from heartwood. Ironically, the best quality ebony seems like black plastic. While on the other hand the heartwood of the gaboon ebony is sometimes achromatic, with very little to no variation or visible grain. Sometimes dark brown or grayish-brown streaks are also gifts. However these don't seem to be distinguished and solely enhances the richness of the black color.
From an instrument purpose of read, the gaboon ebony set the bar high because the high density of the wood offers superior musical notation that may be a vital criterion whereas selecting raw materials to create musical instruments. Whereas the bark of an Indian ebony tree may be used as a supply of navy pigment that's used for painting of material. Ancient Egyptians used wood of ebony for carving. Several pharaohs were buried with things made of ebony.
Ebony trees are generally slow-growing and small and the demand for Ebony wood is high. The low supply and high demand for this type of wood makes it more expensive than any other type of wood. Typically, a black ebony tree does not grow under closed cover or thick stands.
References
- https://www.wood-database.com/ceylon-ebony/
- https://www.bellforestproducts.com/indian-ebony/
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9783527678518.ehg2015001#:~:text=Park%20Sri%20Lanka.-,Distribution%20and%20Forest%20History,the%20south%20of%20the%20island.
- https://www.softschools.com/facts/plants/ebony_tree_facts/1254/
- http://hobbithouseinc.com/personal/woodpics/ebony,%20misc.htm
