Serpentine Turtle by Raymond Tsalate

A small olive green serpentine turtle with malachite inlaid eyes carved by Ray Tsalate with a small Sleeping Beauty Mine turquoise bird resting on top of its back. The bird has pin point pen shell inlaid eyes and three dots inlaid to the center of its back - created from small pieces of lapis, coral and malachite. Ray has added eight green turquoise rounded dots around the edge of the turtle's shell. Then he inlaid four pink coral and four lapis dots on top. Indigenous people recognize the turtle as the symbol of Mother Earth - some Native Americans believe that the turtle contributed to creation because the turtle dove into the primeval waters to retrieve mud to create Mother Earth. The turtle is regarded as a skillful navigator through life's difficulties. Turtle medicine teaches one to go with the flow. Artist: Raymond Tsalate (signed) Size: 1 in. wide x 1-1/2 in. long x1/2 in. tall #62376