Many woodworkers have looked into the subject but sadly we really know very little about the history of the fascinating art of intarsia - and really nothing before the 13th or 14th century.

Some say it has its roots in 8th Century Japan. Others say it started in Ancient Egypt or with the Roman Empire or the Persians. For as long as anyone knows there have been artistic wood pictures - but are they intarsia or inlay? Sculpture or carving?

One of the major problems is the lack of examples from these times - over a few hundred years wood has a nasty tendency to rot!

We do know for certain that intarsia was practiced in Italy from the 13th Century and in parts of Germany in the 15th and 16th Century. We know that it was used alongside carving and inlay - often practiced by the same craftsmen and sometimes with remarkable skill considering the tools they had available.

We also know that by the late 17th Century it had just about disappeared - replaced by marquetry and inlay. The reasons for this are probably part fashion and part commercial. Not only do tastes change but it was certainly more profitable to produce marquetry and inlay. You cant really blame the artisans for what they made when their livelihood depended on it.

From the 18th to the 20th Century... nothing. There might have been a man in a shed somewhere practicing intarsia - but if there was, no-one knew anything about him!

The fact that we have intarsia as we know it today is almost entirely down to one person - Judy Gale Roberts - who revived the art in the late 1970s. In the eighties she was joined by Jerry Booher and together they not only created beautiful pieces for sale but also began producing patterns and books which spread intarsia as a hobby.

Which brings us just about up to date. Today patterns are available from many sources. There are intarsians in the US and Canada, in Europe and Australia, and the internet allows them to share ideas regardless of where they are geographically via web-based discussion groups.

So whether youre looking at intarsia as an absorbing hobby or from a more commercial point of view its an exciting time to be involved and looks set to develop even further.