Lost Wax Action Figurines by Tribals of India
Dhokra Craft is the earliest known method of non-ferrous metal casting known to human civilization. The name Dhokra or Dokra was initially used to indicate a group of nomadic craftsmen, and is now generically applied to a variety of beautifully shaped and decorated brassware products created by the lost wax process.
The Dhokras use lost-wax process to cast hollow brass objects and images. Lost wax peices are made by modeling the form in wax. A mold is then built around the form and molten brass is poured into the mold. Brass scrap in generally used as raw material. The hot brass melts the wax and hence the name lost wax. When the metal cools, the mold is broken to remove the figurine, so no 2 peices are ever alike.
It is used for making everything from making jewelry to vessels to images of gods, goddesses, animals and birds. Some of these figurines are "tribal action figures".
The Dhokra craftsmen went from tribe to tribe making their ceremonial and religious figures, ornaments and kitchenware.
The Dhokra craft work is done both by men and women