The artifacts of West Bengal stem its immortal inheritance from joyful and intricate imagination of creative excellence of the artists. This creative expression along with architectural splendors is spread molded in various art forms like works on woodwork, terracotta, paintings, pottery, brass and copperware, embroidery, tapestry, hand looms, fine muslin and silk artistry, cane works etc. All these handicrafts have originated at the ground level in the heartland of Bengal - the villages and have been backbone of the rural economy of the State. The terracotta of Bengal is famous all over the world. The source of the raw material is the rich, alluvial clay from local rivers, which are shaped and fired in simple kilns. The traditional potters or "Khumbhakars" moulds pots, containers, plates for food to toys and ritual figurines. Apart from terracotta, clay-potters fashion the images of popular gods and goddesses worshipped in the state at Kumartuli, Kolkata. The peak season is during the autumn, when idols of goddess Durga are made. Some of them are indeed exquisite works of art.

"Sholapith" is the core of the plant called Aeschyromene Aspere that grows wild in wet marshlands of Bengal and Assam, Orissa and Deccan. It is rich in malleability, texture, and has wonderful luster and sponginess. The sholapith items are famous for marriages & festivals and also serve as decoration items for wall hangings.

Jute or the 'golden fiber' finds its roots in the domestic household of Bengal, where the women knotted and braided these threads for their domestic use. Bengal is a major producer of jute goods ranging from plush jute-blended carpets, to decorative tapestries, garden pot hangings, decorative hand bags, bedspreads etc. This craft is practiced in 50 villages of the Kaliaganj area in West Dinajpur.

Brass and Metal craft is an old handicraft product of the State. Handed down to generations of metalworkers, the artisans are mainly scattered down the regions of Bankura, Bishnupur, Ghatal and Chandanpur in Midnapore. This craft is mainly displayed in domestic utensils to vessels used for rituals. The art form Dhokra is named after a tribe called 'Dhokra Kamar', who are the traditional metalsmiths of West Bengal. These artifacts look as if they have been made out of a single piece of wire wound around a piece of clay. In actual, the object is cast in metal, using what is known as the lost- wax technique. The artifacts are ritual objects and their themes are mostly animals, jewelry, and icons of gods and goddesses. The Dhokras also make many varieties of lamps that are both single and multiple. This technique has managed to survive many centuries and change of dynasties owing to its modesty of application in everyday lives of ordinary people.

More than 35,000 artisans practice the craft of Cane and Bamboo in different districts of rural Bengal. It is mainly used to make furniture and other decorative items.

Wood is used for making toys and decorative panels. Kalighat dolls & Natungram wood carvings relate back to traditional icons, deities and also stylized modern look. Textile weaving is one of the most popular traditional art form of Bengal. There are various forms of artifacts for Textile including 'Taath Shilpo', 'Katha Shilpo', 'Baluchori Shilpo' etc.

This art form continues from the times of Maharaja Krishnachandra of Krishnagar in the late 18th Century. Till to date, Krishnanagar is the best place to get these original pieces of art.

Reed mats and baskets find a variety of uses. This mat is woven on a simple bamboo frame loom. The warp is cotton thread and the weft a thin, but the designs are ignited by the weaver's imagination and often become a rare marvel. The shitalpati is another kind of mat found in Bengal, Assam and Tripura, which are woven with flat strips in check, twill or zigzag designs. Besides this, fans are also made from palmyra leaves, which are dyed in different colors and make into beautiful geometric designs. Cane baskets have traditional shapes and are made in different sizes. The history of Indian civilization is abundant in descriptions of 'horn combs', which adorned the tresses of women in ancient times. This fascinating craft comes from the soil of Bengal. This is one of the most ancient craft forms of West Bengal.

The masks used by the Chhou dancers of Purulia and those who perform the Gambhira dances of Malda, represent the theatrical tradition. The masks generally resemble mythological character and the material used is paper mache painted in bright colors. They are used for rituals and folk festivals and as decorative items for homes.