Carving
2 of the 7 encyclopedias on this shelf carry an entry for Carving. Both are reproduced below, so you can see where they agree and where they differ.
Aiton's Encyclopedia (1910)
a branch of sculpture from which it is distinguished by the use of soft material, as ivory and wood. A walkingstick with a carved ivory head was an indispensable part of the equipment of a Babylonian gentleman. The Greeks employed carved ivory in the construction of their statues and colossal gods. The remains of early Christian art, whether in ivory or wood, are richly carved. The finest specimens of woodcarving, however, are to be found in the altar work, pews, doors, chairs, tables, and halls of the medieval churches, and in the homes of the merchant princes. Ravenna, Prague, Nuremberg, Augsburg, Antwerp, Bruges, and, generally speaking, the cathedral towns and the cities of the Hanseatic League have richly carved woodwork. Oak carvings are a feature of the stairways, halls, and pews and altar work of old English houses and churches. Westminster Abbey possesses some fine carvings, both medieval and modern. Germany has ever excelled in this branch of art. The Black Forest region still maintains its reputation for carved work of artistic merit, as well as for toys, parlor and hall ornaments, and for clock work. The establishment of manual training schools bids fair to create a revival of interest in wood work of this sort. See Sculpture
The Encyclopedia of Founding (1892)
By this term we generally understand the art of cutting figures and designs in wood with suitable sharp instruments made for the purpose. Cutting designs in stone is termed sculpture, and similar operations on metals is called chasing. Patterns for decorative, architectural, and other castings, which were at one time the productions of the wood-carver, are now accomplished in shorter time and at less cost by the modeller. See MODELLING.