Bethlehem's position as an important
Christian city has for centuries attracted a constant stream of
pilgrims. This generated much local work and income, also for women, including making
mother-of-pearl souvenirs. According to Weir, Bethlehem women's employment in the mother-of-pearl industry goes back at least to the seventeenth century. It was noted by
Richard Pococke, who travelled there in 1727. The first exhibition in the west of mother-of-pearl artifacts from Palestine was at
The World Fair in New York in 1852. Two brothers, Giries and Ibrahim Mansur, exhibited their work and were a great success. Previously, most of the oysters for the mother-of-pearl supply came from the
Red Sea. As of 2007 however,
Australia,
California,
New Zealand and
Brazil are the main exporters of the mother-of-pearl. ==See also==