Ebony is a coveted item of trade for thousands of years, in the ancient world still in demand today. A solid black hardwood, ebony is found as the core of Diospyros, a persimmon species, and certain other trees.
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Among the most expensive woods of the world, some Diospyros species are too dense to float in water. Macassar and mun ebony both sink.
Highly valued as an ornamental wood, ebony has a fine texture, smooth mirror polish and warm woodsy scent. In the ancient world, it's one of the unique and wonderful trade items coming to Egypt from mystical Land of Punt.
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In the ancient world, Nubia, south of Egypt, is a rich trade stop for gold, ivory, ebony, animal skins and incense such as myrrh. Carved pieces of ebony have been found in Egyptian tombs.
Ebony radiates divine or magical qualities. A durable wood, it's especially valued for instrument parts such as guitar fretboards.
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Ebony is primarily used for smaller objects like crucifixes, and musical instruments or instrument parts. It's found in the clarinet, oboe, or piccolo. Ebony is originally used to make black piano, organ and harpsichord keys.
Other musical uses include as fingerboard for violin, viola, mandolin, guitar, double bass, and cello. Ebony is also good for tailpieces, pick guards, tuning pegs, chinrests and guitar picks.
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Traditionally, black chess pieces are ebony, with boxwood or ivory used for white pieces. Due to unsustainable harvesting, ebony resources are now considered threatened. Ebony in Africa and other areas is often cut down illegally.
Ebony is one of the most expensive woods in the world, along with
African blackwood or mpingo (Dalbergia melanoxylon) takes 60 years to grow
sandalwood (from Sanskrit Chandana (čandana, meaning 'wood for burning incense')
pink ivory (Phyllogeiton zeyheri, the royal tree of the Zulu people)
agarwood (dark resinous wood of Aquilaria tree after infection by Phialophora mold)
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The word ebony comes from the Ancient Egyptian hbny, through Ancient Greek ἔβενος (ébenos), into Latin (ebenus) and Middle English. Ebony wood comes from species in south India, Sri Lanka, west Africa, Queensland, New Guinea, Timor, Mauritius and Indonesia.
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