Wood Carving
In the context of a remarkable wood civilization, wood carving is obviously the most important craft. Starting from simple wooden spoons and ending with ingenious tools in the household, from the simple pillar in the house, to the monumental Maramures gate, from the cross on the side of the street, to the magnificent church in the centre of the village, the skill and talent of the master carvers amazes. The richness of the decorative elements and their deep signification, ingenious technical solutions, refinement of work - they all brought them fame far over the borders of Maramures. In the past, almost every man used to carve himself every objects that was needed in the household. Those item that required a certain skill and experience were created by well known craftsmen coming from regions renown for it. Although the craft of wood carving is on the verge of extinction, there are still some contemporary craftsmen whose carvings can be admired in Maramures (Barsana Monastery, Sapinta-Peri Monastery, Ieud, Oncesti) or in different corners of the world (see wooden churches in Caracas, Geneva or the private residences decorated by woodcarvers from Maramures ).