It is believed that Mother of Pearl carving was brought to the Bethlehem region between the 14th and 16th centuries by the Franciscan Friars of Damascus. They brought in craftsmen from Genova to teach local Palestinians the art.
Mother of Pearl comes from the lustrous lining of shells of certain mollusks, such as pearl oysters, abalones, and mussels. Originally, Mother of Pearl was available from the Red Sea. Today, Bethlehem artisans must import it from Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico, driving up the cost. The increased expense of the Mother of Pearl and the poor economy due to the ongoing occupation and conflict, has forced some Mother of Pearl artisans to close up shop and leave the area.
Click to see Mother of Pearl Carvers at work. This link will open in a separate window.
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