Olive Branch Dove Ornament

Peace on Earth—a holiday message everyone shares. This dove with an olive branch is handcrafted from a translucent capiz shell.

Capiz is the thin shell of a marine mollusk. First artisans wash and soak shells, then, once the shells have dried, they are cut into shapes and edged with metal wire. A finishing coat of varnish completes this labor-intensive process. Before glass windows became available in the Philippines, capiz was used for windows in houses.