Mother of pearl icon. 19th century

Since ancient times, mother-of-pearl has attracted human attention with an amazing variety of colors and shades that are not inferior in beauty to pearls themselves, as well as pliability in processing. Legends and legends have long been formed around mother-of-pearl and pearls.
Amulets made of mother-of-pearl, according to legends, ward off the spell of evil forces from a person and attract the beneficial influence of gods and patron spirits to him.
In the East, shells were grinded on a whetstone and dipped in tea to enhance its iridescence.
A special place among works on mother-of-pearl is occupied by religious objects made by masters of Palestine and Athos. In the Holy Land, a place of pilgrimage for pilgrims from different parts of the Christian world, various church relics have been created over the centuries - from small pectoral crosses and icons to tabernacles and altar crosses.