birch bark

Canoe hull material

Birch bark is the papery outer layer of birch trees, traditionally used by Indigenous peoples of North America for canoes, containers, and writing surfaces.

The bark peels in thin, flexible sheets and is naturally water-resistant: a birch bark canoe, messages scratched into birch bark.

The material remains associated with wilderness craft and traditional knowledge.

Related

tinder · fire starter · indigenous art · basket weaving · parchment · wigwam · traditional tools · Ojibwe · antimicrobial · folklore · natural dyes · resin · insulation · herbal medicine · peel · biodegradable · veneer · white

Categories
Opposites
tree anatomy

birch barkbirch wood

Timber from papery-barked trees

heartwood · sapwood · cambium · timber · wood grain

material texture/flexibility

birch barkhardwood

Dense deciduous timber

solid wood · ironwood · petrified wood

material type

birch barkplastic

Capable of being molded

synthetic material · metal · fiberglass · aluminum · paper

Family

bark, birch, debark, barkeeper, birchwood

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G