Where and when did emu egg carving first start?
In the 19th century, according to the Australian Museum, emu egg carving was widely practised by both Australian indigenous and Australian artists (of European origin). Engraved emu eggs were prized in the mid-19th century as souvenirs and keepsakes. The tradition was maintained in the last century by a few Aboriginal artists from the Carnarvon region of Western Australia. Peter Harris, a NSW artist, learnt emu-carving from an Aboriginal practitioner, Sam Kirby.
