Wood block printing is believed to have originated in either Egypt, with block printing on textiles, or in Japan, with the printing of Buddhist verses. In any case, the technique was first introduced to Europe in the 14th century.
Woodcut prints are usually strong, simple designs in monochrome or in just a few colors. Because of this, woodcuts have the advantage of being easy to reproduce, which made them a popular form of illustration before modern printing methods.
The wood block used for making your woodcut print needs to be flat and smooth. You will need small, sharp wood chisels and other tools to carve out the image.
The paints and inks you'll need for printmaking are thick and viscous, so they will stay in place on the relief design instead of running off or beading.
You'll also need smooth, thick paper to print onto.