Ebony is a tropical hardwood found in west Africa, Asia and Indonesia. It is a very hard and dense wood. There are many different types of ebony with colours ranging from jet black of the West African wood to the purple and striped timber typical of Indonesian and Sri Lankan ebonies. Its wide colour range made it a popular choice for Victorian carpenters and cabinet makers making expensive inlaid furniture and luxury goods. Today many species of ebony are in danger of becoming extinct.