Japanese DoroDango mud balls

Would you believe that the picture above is nothing more than a hand shaped and polished ball of mud? DoroDango, which translates roughly as mud dumpling, is a traditional art form in Japan. The balls are made literally out of mud that is hand dried and polished in a laborious process. It seems that nearly any type of dirt is acceptable for making DoroDangos. All that is needed is dirt, water, and a lot of time. The balls are air dried, so there is no firing or baking involved.
Up until recently, the art form was mostly confined to Japan and was slowly dying out. A professor at the Kyoto University of Education, Professor Fumio Kayo, used it in a study on the play habits of children. In the process of his study, he documented the simple process of Dorodango, and published his instructions. Now the entire art form is seeing a renaissance of interest both in Japan and the US. Seeing the result, I can understand why.

If you are interested, you can read all about it at Interesting Thing of the Day: Hikaru Dorodango - Mud balls as art
You can also read directions on how to make your own here: www.dorodango.com