Soapstone Carving in Kenya

Soapstone, known as Kisii in Kenya, is a soft stone that has been a carving medium for thousands of years. The stone is extracted from a nearby quarry, and cut into pieces so it can be dragged to the work area. The stone is then cut again into pieces of varying sizes, depending on its eventual purpose. As shown, some pieces are cut straight and flat, to be used as chessboards. Everything is sawed and chiseled by hand. The white pieces are placed in water and gradually sanded, using first rough, then incrementally smoother grades of sandpaper. Some pieces are painted, either with dye, shoe polish,or magic marker. The designs are drawn by hand. Finally, a protective wax is sometimes applied to the piece.