Inlaying wood with mother of pearl
Inlaying wood with mother of pearl is a Syrian craft famous all over the world and the pieces are considered one of the finest
Decorative pieces should be present in every Syrian home
A large number of oak trees was a reason for the prosperity of the craft, as oak was used to inlay it with shells
This craft flourished in Turkey as well and was popular in the time of the Ottomans, as it decorated the Ottoman palaces
with this art
Fathers bequeath the craft to their children, and today there are many workshops that still produce the finest types of wooden furnishings inlaid with mother of pearl.
Stages of making wood inlay with mother of pearl
The manufacture of seashells is a handicraft that requires accuracy, patience, and good taste and passes through several stages, as the craft of inlaying seashells is a craft that depends on walnut wood and sea or river seashells in all its white, black, green, and turquoise colors, and depends on downloading silver in the past, and now in metal An alternative to silver, the bone is camel bone and sometimes artificial bone.
Also, this craft is used in decorations such as ceilings, walls, arches, and all Syrian furnishings. It is important that the walnut wood be dried, as it needs between 3 to 5 years to dry.
The stage that comes after drying the wood is to detail the required design, for example, the chair after separating it from walnut wood. Then they make the required drawing, whether it is a plant drawing or an engineering drawing, and most of the drawings in this craft are Arab and Islamic drawings.
After completing the required drawing, they carry out the drilling process
After the drilling process, the process of downloading the shells comes to the place of drilling in the form in which the drilling was carried out
Walnut wood is selected; Because it is easy to dig and its pieces are large, its color is burnt brown, it is durable, and it does not crack with time.
This art requires an artist who works with precision and patience
