Antique Primitive 1800's Hand Carved Treen Scoop Lignum Vitae with Old Lye Soap

What a fantastic find from Southern Virginia that boasts unusual hand ~ carved detail. This piece is very heavy and fashioned from Lignum Vitae wood. Did you know that Lignum Vitae means "long life" in Latin and is associated with the "Tree of Life" name? This is one of the heaviest and densest woods in the world and will actually sink when placed in water. It also resists rot caused by insects and moisture. In the early colonial days this long lasting, durable and hard wood was used for mortars & pestles along with other treenware main ~ stays. This piece has roots from the 1800's and the color is very similar to a deep cinnamon as it has a slight red hue. Dry attic finish seems to rule the day and the carving was crudely done. The form is just wonderful, oval in shape and is fashioned from one piece of wood. The stubby handle is flared out and may have been cut at one point as the wood is a different color than the rest of the piece as can be seen in image 4. This also holds true