Limewood

Description

Several species of large deciduous trees of the family Tilia. They are known as linden trees in Germany, tilluel trees in France, lime trees in Britain, and basswood trees in North America. The light-brown wood from these trees has a straight grain and is easily worked. Linden wood is used for panel paintings, furniture and cabinets. Because linden wood is soft and workable, it has been used since at least the 1600s for decorative items with intricate carvings such as picture frames and sculptures.

Synonyms and Related Terms

Tilia; tilleul (Fr.); tilo (Esp.); tilia (Port.); tiglio (It.); lime wood; lime-wood; linden; tilluel; European lime; basswood

Sources Checked for Data in Record

• A.Lucas, J.R.Harris, Ancient Egyptian Materials and Industries, Edward Arnold Publishers Ltd., London, 4th edition, 1962

• Ancient Egyptian Materials and Technologies, Paul Nicholson, Ian Shaw (eds.), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2000 Comment: R.Gale, P.Gasson, N.Hepper, G.Killen, "Wood"

• R. J. Gettens, G.L. Stout, Painting Materials, A Short Encyclopaedia, Dover Publications, New York, 1966

• Hermann Kuhn, Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art and Antiquities, Butterworths, London, 1986

• Random House, Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language, Grammercy Book, New York, 1997