Strange wood question....

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punkinn

punkinn

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Did I get your attention? :) I hope so.

A customer has asked me to make a pen or set of pens for a relative graduating from college. She asked me if I knew what the "Tree of Knowledge" was and clearly I am lacking in that area sufficiently to fail the quiz. ;) I know that Lignum Vitae is nicknamed the "Tree of Life" but can't find any indication of "Tree of Knowledge" being applied to another (real) tree. All I could come up with is that its a "myth" from ancient religious texts (not only the bible).

Anyone have any ideas here? I don't want to disappoint her.

Many thanks for your help!
Nancy
 
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I think you have a couple of options. The usual belief, or assumption, is that Eve ate an apple, so you could use applewood. Another option is the Bodhi tree, which according to Buddhist belief is the tree under which Siddhartha Gautauma meditated until he received enlightenment and became the Buddha. The tree is a member of the sacred fig family, Ficus religiosa. The trees are also sacred to Hindus. The wood might be pretty difficult to find.
 
I BELIEVE THAT GROLIER ENCYCLOPEDIAS USE THE LOGO OF "TREE OF KNOWLEGE". YOU MAY TRY A SEARCH THERE AND SEE IF IT'S REVEALED.IN BIBLICAL TIMES THE 'APPLE' TREE MAY HAVE BEEN REFERRED AS THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE(NOT 100% SURE).

-Peter-[:)]
 
According to wikipedia, there's a couple variations on what it could mean. The only one I found with a specific tree reference was the Tree of Knowledge reference in Buddhism. That reference ties back to the Bodhi tree, which seems to be some sort of Fig (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Fig).

There's other variations in other religions, but most of them tie back to unknown or theoretical trees, while the Bodhi tree is known. I would say that some sort of fig would be your best bet in trying to appease the customer.
 
I believe that the "tree of knowledge" is a metaphor. Apple was used to symbolize it but I don't believe it is that. [;)]

Again, this is just my personal belief.

Do let us know when you find the answer.
 
I wondered if the term was coined for an "ideal" rather than a real tree, but wanted to be absolutely certain when I told her something like that. I hate being proven wrong. LOL [;)][:o)]

Thanks everyone for your help.

Oh, Dario... by the way, I turned a piece of that spalted red elm yesterday after it had dried from the vacuum/Minwax wood hardener deal... It was still soft but held together very, very well. I just sold it first thing this morning! [:)]

I think I have a picture....

normal_S2IS_1766.JPG


normal_S2IS_1767.JPG


Nancy
 
Only time I've heard the term "Tree of Life" is in Celtic lore where's it's also know as the 'Crann Bethadh'. The tree would be oak. Not really extraordinary, so I guess he must mean something else.

blacktreeoflife.jpg
 
That's a beaut, Nancy! I think I go some of those from him, but I don't recall any looking like that. Reminds me of spalted English Beech.

BTW, as far as we know, there was only one "Tree of Knowledge". Maybe paraphrasing a bit, but "... of all of the trees in the garden ye may freely eat, but of THE Tree of Knowledge ye may not eat...". After the eviction the garden was closed to human approach and as best we can figure the 2 key trees (the other being the Tree of Life) were lost forever.

From this stand point you could use nearly any of the "fabled" trees mentioned to meet your goal.
 
Billy,

Nancy got the cross-cut version. I am leaning towards x-cut now than regular cut...especially once I got my stabilization set up going.
 
Nancy,
Love the pen. Great job. I love the look of spalted woods when turned cross-cut. I just finished my first one this weekend and am amazed at the way the spalting just pops! I posted a pic of it in another discussion, but here it is again:


2006313185832_Spalted%20Oak%20Sierra%20Front.jpg


As for the "Tree of Knowledge", I think you received a lot of good suggestions. You won't find the true tree, but I would go for the apple. Not that an apple would have tempted me. [}:)] Maybe if it was a cherry tree[:D]
 
Dave, that spalted oak is gorgeous! I turned a few ambrosia maple slimlines a week or so back and they look really interesting too; not so nice as the spalted, but different just the same.

normal_s2is_1719.jpg


Nancy
 
Billy,

That almost don't have any spalt!!! So sorry. [:0][B)][V] Looks like I owe you.

As I said...I think I will stick with x-cut with spalted wood from now on. You can see it beter too unlike the one running with the grain...more hit and miss.
 
Nancy,

This is the quote I think you are looking for:

"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, " Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16)"

As has been said, usually the tree is seen as an apple, but I do not believe that there is any proof of that other than tradition.

FWIW,
 
Originally posted by wdcav1952
<br />Nancy,

This is the quote I think you are looking for:

"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, " Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." (Genesis 2:16)"

As has been said, usually the tree is seen as an apple, but I do not believe that there is any proof of that other than tradition.

FWIW,
Click to expand...

I Googled it too. The one Biblical reference that popped up called the tree in the Garden the "Tree of Life". I haven't opened my personal KJV to see what it says.
 
Originally posted by jtate
<br />Just don't eat of it!

That's my only advice.

That and the old stand by - buy low, sell high...

Julia
Click to expand...

Sorry, Julia, I think that advice is a bit late. Then again, if they hadn't munched on the fruit, all the people making and selling clothing wouldn't have jobs! [;)]
 
I found this link about some "Tree(s) of Knowledge" in Australia. This one is about a Ghost Gum:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.abc.net.au/westqld/stories/Tree_of_Kn_m1002497.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.abc.net.au/westqld/stories/s1287493.htm&h=289&w=200&sz=17&tbnid=yaX4TBEjTjVt_M:&tbnh=110&tbnw=76&hl=en&start=79&prev=/images%3Fq%3D%2522tree%2Bof%2Bknowledge%2522%26start%3D60%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26sa%3DN

I also found another reference to a Banyan Tree also in Australia. It may not be what they have in mind though.
 
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