Nellie Moron4y, age 12, of Grand Forks, N.D., for her question:

WHEN DID MAN START CARVING ORNAMENTS?

Carving is the art of cutting ornaments, figures or decorative objects by hand from such materials as stone, marble, wood, ivory, bone and shell. The art of carving is older than recorded history.

Archaeologists have found examples of carved bone and horn which early peoples made during the Stone Age. Primitive peoples of today carve many objects from wood.

Carved masks are outstanding examples of art from Africa. Islanders in the South Pacific Ocean work with simple tools to make ceremonial objects, as well as everyday tools and utensils. Craftsmen carve intricate decoration on houses, coconut shells and canoe prows.

The term sculpture designates large carvings in stone, marble or wood. The term carving applies to small sculptures and to carved decorations on furniture and buildings.

The ancient Egyptians cut beautiful objects from wood, ivory, alabaster, stone, turquois and other materials. Many such pieces are remarkable because they were carved from extremely hard stone. Egyptian craftsmen made gems with intaglios, or designs cut in their surfaces. Mesopotamian civilizations also used intaglios.

Many Indians of Alaska and Canada carved wood. The Haida Indians of the Northwest Coast were famous totem pole makers and were known for their high powered canoes.

The Greeks and Romans carved precious stones. They also worked with ivory and produced many pieces of beautiful sculpture. Japanese craftsmen are noted for their ivory figures and fans.

The early Christians in Egypt, called Copts, used wood carvings for ceilings and for openwork screens. Wood carving spread throughout the Arab world and into Spain. Outstanding examples of carved wonders can be found in the Alhambra in Granada.

Wood carvers decorated church stalls in Gothic churches. Wood carvers also produced simple, sturdy and massive pieces of furniture during the Gothic period.

During the Italian Renaissance, craftsmen paneled rooms with carved decorations Baroque and rococo architecture also featured wood carvings. Oriental art has produced many examples of carving. The Ajanta Caves in India which artists cut out of cliffs, contain examples of great artistry. So do many Oriental temples. Craftsmen have decorated outside walls of many of these structures. They have also carved figures on stone stelae, or pillars, to tell religious stories.

The decorations of the Taj Mahal are another example of this fine art of carving. They include delicate paneling and pierced marble windows and screens.

Early Chinese craftsmen used simple tools to produce many beautiful jade pieces.