in a general sense, the art or act of cut- ting or fashioning a hard body, by means of some sharp instrument, especially a chisel. In this sense carving in- cludes statuary and engraving, as well as cutting in wood. Carving, in a more particular sense, is the art of engrav- ing or cutting figures in wood. In this sense carving, ac- cording to Pliny, is prior both to statuary and painting.