World Heritage connection: Historic Areas of Istanbul

Craftsmanship of mother of pearl inlay

Le savoir-faire lié à l’incrustation de nacre

Mother of pearl inlay is the practice of inserting mother of pearl pieces into wooden objects such as Koran cases, desks, chests, chairs, mirrors, jewel cases and musical instruments. Craftspeople begin by cutting the inner shells of molluscs into different shapes. They draw motifs on a piece of wood, carve out the outlines and shape...