From Native American face masks to German bread boards, this worldwide survey highlights the versatility of wood and outlines the many types of wood and their uses. Some of the civilized world's most significant inventions--the wheel, the printing press, and the first calculator, the abacus--were developed using wood, and this guide shows the different ways that cultures have historically put it to use. With over 800 illustrations, a glossary, information on where to see collections, a bibliography, and an index, this is an exhaustive reference of the many and varied uses of one of our most precious natural resources. Desde mascaras indigenas hasta tablas de pan alemanas, este estudio mundial destaca la versatilidad de la madera y explica los diferentes tipos que existen y sus usos. Algunos de los inventos mas importantes de la historia--la rueda, la imprenta y el abaco--fueron creados usando la madera, y esta guia ensena los variados usos de diferentes culturas. Con mas de 800 ilustraciones, un glosario, informacion sobre colecciones y una bibliografia con indice, esta es una referencia detallada de la versatilidad de este valioso recurso natural.