Kerala, popularly referred to as the "God's Own Country," has a rich cultural heritage dating back to thousands of years. Kerala is also renowned for its fine craftsmanship, which is part of its cultural legacy. The crafts of Kerala reflect the extraordinary artistic skills of their master crafters. The crafts of Kerala include the products of wood and coir, terracotta kitchenware and murals, bell metal cast sculptures and beautiful pottery items. The distinctive patterns and designs of Kerala crafts make them truly unique and striking. Kerala is known for its rich knowledge of ivory and wood crafting. In fact, ivory has been an important medium of artistic expression in Kerala. You can find beautifully carved exquisite ivory idols in temples and other places of worship all over Kerala. The exquisitely carved figures of dancers, animals and birds display the extraordinary artistic skills of Kerala woodcrafters. Among popular wood and ivory craft items of Kerala include beautifully carved figures of elephants, decorative boxes and exquisite curios such as key rings, tabletops, ashtrays, photo frames, chess sets and bookcases. One of most exquisite woodcraft of Kerala is its nine-sided wooden chest called nature petty, used for bridal decorations. Kerala crafts also include variety of objects made of coconut shell and leaves, such as bowls, vases, ladles, teapots, baskets and mats Kerala is also known for its fine metal wares and stone crafts. In fact, crafting of brass vessels is an art in Kerala. The famous bell metal products of Kerala include beautifully carved idols, ritualistic temple lamps, church bells, ashtrays, fruit bowls, cooking vessels, jewel boxes, lime jars, oil lamps and tabletops etc. Besides metal wares, Kerala is also renowned for its centuries old knowledge of stone crafting. The beautiful stone sculptures of Kerala showcases the extraordinary craftsmanship of their master crafters. Kerala is rich in granite, which is used in crafting exquisite icons, dancing figures and arrange of household items.