Shell of an Eretmochelys imbricata (hawksbill turtle), size 45 cm, widespread in the seas of the tropics, subtropics and temperate latitudes. The carapace's shields overlap like roof tiles. The backlight also allows parts of the skeleton to be seen. Due to the beauty of the tortoise shell, this species is unfortunately still very much endangered. I bought the object under adventurous circumstances from an Indonesian fisherman. The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species had not yet been adopted at that time. Tortoise shell has been sought after since ancient times as a raw material for the manufacture of art and everyday objects (e.g. jewelry, furniture inlays, caskets, combs, etc.). A quote from Robert Walser (Swiss writer) that fits the motif: "Nature does not need to make an effort to be significant, it is significant." [hint: this is an automatic translation from German]   |   Category: artefact   |   Material: Schildpatt Präparate   |   Country of origin: East Java, Indonesia | Similar pieces