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Soapstone
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Soapstone is the name given to rock made up largely or wholly of the mineral talc and derives its name from the rock having a greasy or soapy texture.
Zimbabwe, “the House of Stone” is home to some of the richest deposits of soapstone in the world and it is therefore no wonder, that the Shona tribes people use this medium as a form of art.
Shona soapstone carvings from Zimbabwe are recognized as some of the most beautiful and meaningful sculptures in the world. They are shipped to homes and galleries all over the globe where they are appreciated by art lovers.
Many gardens and parks are adorned with these statues, where they are immune to the hazards of nature. The stone is found in many variations of colour, shading and density the most popular stone used is serpentine, springstone, leopard rock, lepidolite, butter jade and opal.
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Fimo Beads
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Fimo beads are made from a sculptable material known as polymer clay. It is called clay as it is used for similar purposes as clay.
This oven hardened substance may be coloured with paint, chalk, pencil, metalic leaf, foil and embossing powder is often applied to the surface. Once it is cured several techniques may be used to provide a further unique finish.
Fimo beads are then used by crafters to produce jewellery, scupltures, photoframes, pendants also also used for a myriad of other artistic ideas.
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The Republic of Zimbabwe
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Africa
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Officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, and formerly Southern Rhodesia, it is a landlocked country in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It borders South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia to the northwest, and Mozambique to the east.
The official language of Zimbabwe is English, however the majority of the population speaks Shona which is the native language of the Shona people, it is one of the native languages of Zimbabwe along with Sindebele which is spoken by the Matabele people.
From circa 1250–1629, the area that is known as Zimbabwe today was ruled under the Mutapa Empire, also known as Mwene Mutapa, Monomotapa or the Empire of Great Zimbabwe, which was renowned for its gold trade routes with Arabs. However, Portuguese settlers destroyed the trade and began a series of wars which left the empire near collapse in the early 17th century.
In 1834, the Matabele people arrived while fleeing from the Zulu leader Shaka, making the area their new empire, Matabeleland. In the 1880s, the British arrived with Cecil Rhodes' British South Africa Company. In 1898, the name Southern Rhodesia was adopted.
More information about Zimbabwe here.
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