One April afternoon a Javanese woodcarver was hard at work on the likeness of a caged tiger. A snake had been etched into the bars of the cage, and an eagle on top of it. This was carved without using gluing of any sort," said Suyanto, the craftsman, showing his uncompleted work. The carving process takes up to a month."

The Macan Kurung (Spotted Tiger)a carving unique to Jeparais made from a solid tree-trunk piece. The legendary design has been mad