Olive Wood – Tree Ornament Oval with Joseph, Mary and Baby Jesus in a Manger with “Bethlehem”

Description Size: 10cm (4″) This product is made of genuine olive wood. Therefore each tree ornament has its own unique wood grain. Shade of color may also vary. Olive wood figures and carvings have been around in the Middle-east since the 4th century AD under Byzantine rule. This craft continues to the present day. It involves the skilful chiseling of olive wood and is most common in the Bethlehem and Nazareth region. As far as we know, the Greek Orthodox monks taught local residents how to carve olive wood, The art developed and became a major industry in Bethlehem and nearby towns. Today, the art continues to be a major source of income for Bethlehem’s Christian residents and is the most profitable tourist product in the city with the main purchasers being Believers in Yeshua.