THE USE OF WOOD IN CULTURAL OBJECTS IN 19th CENTURY SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Wood has been widely employed to manufacture cultural objects in the state of Santa Catarina, in 19th century Brazil. The present study examined historical buildings and machinery, mills, wagons, carriages, furniture, farming implements and everyday objects that are part of the collection of the Museu Nacional de Imigracao e Colonizacao (National Museum of Immigration and Colonization) of Joinville and represent the material culture of the Colonia Dona Francisca. Nine different timber species, usually of high density, were identified microscopically. Most species are native in the local Atlantic Forest, but others were imported from more distant sources. We believe that wood anatomy is an important tool to unveil lifestyle aspects of the different ethnic groups that colonized the Brazilian territory and their relation to forest resources in terms of knowledge and exploitation.