This Cook Islands Mother of Pearl Shell Turtle Pendant is from our Cook Islands Maori collection.

The Pearl Shell comes from the Black-lip Mother Of Pearl Oyster Shell, the oysters from which the famous Cook Islands Black Pearls are collected, on the island of Manihiki.

All our Cook Islands MOP Pendants are hand-carved in the Cook Islands (Rarotonga), by Cook Islands Maori.  Each shell is different, so each carving is slightly different, as you will see from the photo below.  But each is beautiful in its own way.

Turtles are a sacred animal in Polynesia, and in pre-European days, the meat could only be eaten by chiefs.  They were revered for their long life and ability to travel long distances, and thus are a spiritual symbol of longevity.

THe MOP Turtle Pendant measures approximately 2 1/4" (5.5cm) in width and comes on a 30" black cord.