Mother of pearl: The shining and playful reflected light of mother of pearl has attracted the attention of human beings since the beginning of the world. Mother of pearl is the shell of mollusks (such as mussels and oysters) as well as of pseudo pods (such as snails). These shells take their colors and forms according to the type of animal and to the environment in which it lives.

Societies, tribes, and nations have all added the technology of their day to their experience, knowledge, and understanding, and they have turned mother of pearl into a magnificent branch of art. It was used to create and decorate an extensive number of items. Some of these are very beautiful works of art. The oldest two objects found made of this material belong to the Sumerians. They represent a "wild goat entangled in branches", and a "lion struggling with a bull".

It was not until the 15th century, when the art of mother of pearl was greatly developed into the hands of the Ottoman Turks. In this period, mother of pearl became entirely at the disposal of Turkish Islamic art. It was used in making koran cases, writing desks, and chests, as well as window and door shutters and pulpits, and lecterns in works of architecture. It was also often used in the decoration and architecture of mosques and palaces. The 17th century was the peak of achievement for the art of working in mother of pearl.

In order to use the mother of pearl in this fine art, it must have a thickness that permits it to be worked. It must also reflect the colors of the rainbow, which should be visually harmonious and pleasing. There are many types of mother of pearl. White mother of pearl has high reflective properties and it is one of the most commonly used types of this material. Iridescent mother of pearl is a type in which the colors of pink and green are predominant. Chip mother of pearl is a multicolored type, while stone and mat types are dull and have poor reflective properties.

Some auxiliary materials can be used along with mother of pearl. Ivory and bone are most commonly used in this art. Ivory comes from the tusks of elephants. Bone on the other hand is from the fibulae of large animals such as camels and cattle or from the ribs of water buffalos. Fillets are also common in the work of mother of pearl. These are thin strips obtained by painting long narrow strips of wood or veneer in different colors. Bone and ivory may also be placed among colored veneer. Tortoiseshell is also widely used due to its translucent appearance, its ability to hold a high polish, and its resistance to wear. Sometimes metals like copper and brass are used as well.

The art of mother of pearl working is intimately involved with wood. The craftsman needs to choose the wood according to the method of work to be done. There are three main techniques, the inlaying method, the gluing method, and the paste method. In the inlaying method, the surface to be decorated in mother of pearl is marked with a hard point. The grooves of thin designs consisting of wire, ivory, or bone are opened with a fine chisel and the material is set into them. The motifs whose outlines are thus drawn are carved out to a depth of two or three millimeters using gouges and prepared for the mother of pearl inlays. Due to this, walnut is mostly used in this method, for it is suitable for carving and does not become brittle.

In the gluing method, no carving takes place on the surface. Instead, the mother of pearl is made to adhere to the surface by means of auxiliary substances. Therefore, Linden, which is unaffected by heat or cold, and which maintains the same straightness for years, is the wood most suited for this technique. In the paste method, mother of pearl in small pieces is made to adhere sometimes on a definite line, sometimes at random. The interstices are filled in with a paste of a color which harmonizes with the auxiliary material being used in the work.

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