Intarsia is a form of wood inlaying that is similar to marquetry. The term is also used for a similar technique used with small, highly polished stones set in a marble matrix (see pietre dure).

The technique of intarsia inlays sections of wood (at times with contrasting ivory or bone, or mother-of-pearl) within the solid stone matrix of floors and walls or of table tops and other furniture; by contrast marquetry assembles a pattern out of veneers glued upon the carcase. It is thought that the word 'intarsia' is derived from the Latin word 'interserere' which means "to insert".

When Egypt came under Arab rule in the seventh century, indigenous arts of intarsia and wood inlay, which lent themselves to non-representational decors and tiling patterns, spread throughout the maghreb. The technique of intarsia was already perfected in Islamic North Africa before it was introduced into Christian Europe through Sicily and Andalusia. The art was further developed in Siena and by Sienese masters at the cathedral of Orvieto, where figurative intartsia made their first appearance, ca 1330 and continuing into the 15th century and in northern Italy in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, spreading to German centers and introduced into London by Flemish craftsmen in the later sixteenth century. The most elaborate examples of intarsia can be found in cabinets of this period, which were items of great luxury and prestige. After about 1620, marquetry tended to supplant intarsia in urbane cabinet work.

George Philip North (born 13 April 1992 in King's Lynn) is a Wales international rugby union player currently playing for the Scarlets in the Pro12 league, in the position of winger.

North was born in 1992 in King's Lynn, his mother is Welsh and from Anglesey, Wales, his father is English. His family moved to Hong Kong, on Royal Airforce duty, when he was 14 weeks old. The family returned to Anglesey on 13 January 1995 when he was aged two and he is a fluent Welsh language speaker. Educated at Llandovery College in West Wales, he played as a junior for Llangefni, Pwllheli, Rhyl and Gogledd Cymru under-16s.

Up to the point of his international call-up, North had played six matches for the Scarlets first team, a record restricted by an injury.

After an impressive start to the 2010 season, in October 2010, he was selected to the 33 man squad for the Autumn international series. On 11 November 2010 North was named in the Wales team to face South Africa on 13 November, making him the joint third youngest player to represent Wales behind Tom Prydie and Norman Biggs and equal to Evan Williams.