Carving on reservation, painted plate needing time for inscription (5,4)
I believe the answer is:
totem pole
'carving' is the definition.
(I know that totem pole is a type of woodcarving)
'reservation painted plate needing time for inscription' is the wordplay.
I cannot really see how this works, but
'plate' could be 'l' (as in an L-plate, a learner driver plate) and 'l' is present in the answer.
'time' could be 'tempo' (tempo is a kind of time) and 'tempo' is found in the answer.
'for' could be 'to' (eg both can mean 'in the opinion of') and 'to' is present in the answer.
A single letter 'e' remains which might be clued in a way I don't understand.
This explanation may well be incorrect...
'on' acts as a link.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for totem pole that I've seen before include "Am. Indian symbolic erection" , "North American tribal symbol" , "Native American tribal symbol" , "carved column" , "Brave staff perhaps" .)