⛏️ Shona Stone Carving: Zimbabwe’s Living Art Form
The Shona people of Zimbabwe are world-renowned for their expressive stone sculptures—an art movement that blends ancestral tradition with modern creativity. Each piece is hand-carved from native stone and often reflects themes of family, spirituality, and nature.

⛏️ 1. Sourcing the Stone

• Sculptors mine serpentine, springstone, opal stone, and other local varieties from open-cast pits.
• Stones are chosen for their color, texture, and hardness, often based on the artist’s vision.

✏️ 2. Sketching and Roughing Out

• Artists sketch the design directly onto the stone using charcoal.
• Using chisels, hammers, and punch tools, they strip away excess rock to reveal the basic form.

🪚 3. Refining the Shape

• The sculpture is shaped with files, rasps, and grinders—or just hand tools when electricity isn’t available.

Fine details are added gradually, often inspired by dreams, family stories, or spiritual beliefs

🧽 4. Sanding and Smoothing

• Wet sanding with progressively finer sandpaper brings out the stone’s natural luster.
• This step is labor-intensive and may be shared among apprentices or family members.

🔥 5. Polishing with Wax

• The sculpture is heated over fire or with a blowtorch to open the stone’s pores.
• Layers of clear wax are applied and buffed as the stone cools, creating a rich, glossy finish.

Shona carving isn’t just technique—it’s storytelling in stone. Artists like Dominic Benhura and Colleen Madamombe have elevated the form to global acclaim.

About Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Mozambique. Its capital is Harare, and it’s home to iconic landmarks like Victoria Falls and the ancient stone ruins of Great Zimbabwe, from which the country takes its name.