The history of handicrafts is as old as the civilisation itself. Its origin may be traced back to the upper Palaeolithic period. In human history this period witnessed for the first time the emergence of man's artistic sense and temperament in form of simple geometrical line-drawings, engravings, wood and bone cravings.Arts & crafts belong to the aesthetic and material aspects of any culture. Their efflorescence, proliferation and prolifically account for the degree of sublimity of a culture.

Orissa occupies an unique place in India in respect of handicrafts and arts. The subject matter of Orissan handicrafts are still derived from the cosmographic myths and legends of the Indian culture and civilisation as described with fabulous imagination in the epics and the sacred scriptures. The present handicrafts are largely the visual manifests produced with remarkable fidelity to the historical continuance of thousands of years of Orissan culture. Most of the designs, styles, forms, colours and methods employed in the Orissa's handicrafts are indigenous and have some distinctiveness which have evolved slowly through the discipline efforts of generation of craftsmen.