Summary
Wood is part of what is often considered an ephemeral materiality, making its preservation in the archaeological record rare. While advances in archaeobotany have enhanced our ability to identify raw materials and reconstruct technological processes, addressing symbolic and cultural dimensions—such as the agency of both objects and plants—remains a challenge. In this context, ethnographic objects, often overlooked in archaeological research, provide a valuable means to expand our interpretations of wooden material culture. Their better preservation not only allows us to study the materials themselves but also helps safeguard the ephemeral knowledge associated with plant-based crafts.Through the study of a collection of wooden carvings from Gunayala (Panama), housed in various ethnographic museums, this research explores their materiality and the broader plant-human interactions they embody. The case of nudsugana ritual carvings among the Guna people highlights how wooden objects are more than passive artifacts; they participate in complex ecological and cultural relationships. By integrating ethnographic collections and community-based knowledge, this study calls for a reconsideration of how we approach plant-based materialities in archaeology, moving beyond the Western conceptualization of trees as mere resources.