the.com/ebony
Wood so dense it sinks in water, black enough to swallow a candle's reflection.
means A dense, deep-black hardwood from certain tropical trees, or the rich black color associated with it.
from From the Greek 'ebenos,' the name for the wood, which traces back through Egyptian 'hbny' — the Egyptians prized the dark timber and traded for it. The word traveled into Latin as 'ebenus,' then through Old French into English. So the name has been following this black wood across the Mediterranean for thousands of years, possibly all the way from an African source.
- sinks
- Denser than water, it drops like a stone
- piano keys
- Classic black keys were carved from it
- slow grower
- Trees take centuries to darken fully
- endangered
- Overharvesting put many species on red lists
- name origin
- From Egyptian 'hbny', traded by pharaohs
ebony wood from macassar — dense black heartwood from diospyros celebica trees in indonesia, prized for musical instruments and fine furniture since the 16th century
gabon ebony — diospyros crassiflora species from central africa, currently the most commercially harvested ebony for piano keys and decorative items