intarsia

[prettygoodword]

intarsia (in-TAHR-see-uh) - n., a decorative form of Italian wood inlaying; a knitted multicolored design resembling a mosaic.


First the wood inlay:


Thanks, WikiMedia!

Yes, that's a flat picture. A knitted argyle sock is an example of the other kind. The word is from Italian intarsio, from intarsiare, to inlay, from in-, in + tarsia, inlaid mosaic work, from Arabic tarṣī', inlaying/setting, infinitive form of of raṣṣa'a, to inlay, stem of raṣi'a, to adhere -- by which you can guess some of the earliest examples were learned from Arabs.

---L.

Comments

[thistleingrey]

ooh, neat--I'd had no idea about the wood!

[prettygoodword]

There is some impressive examples out there, including whole rooms paneled in this.