Third Place
Brent Stirton
Getty Images
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"GOD'S IVORY"
CEBU, PHILIPPINES, 13 JANUARY 2012: The "Walk with Mary," procession in Cebu, Philippines. The "Mary" seen on the float is Our Lady of Guidance, and she is made of Ivory. This substance has long been used in religious circles for statues and carvings of important icons across all the major religions in a practise that continues today. There is an ongoing obsession over relegiously themed Ivory carvings in the Philippines. Most originate from a small group of master carvers in Manila. Many are owned by private collectors who collect them with fervour, others are housed behind glass in churches where devotees will often touch the glass or rub material on the glass in order to receive the blessing of the Icon. Ivory has long been a high end material for the creation of these religious pieces. The carvers and the collectors both believe that the use of this high-end, expensive substance is a manifestation of the depth of their devotion. Despite all this activity, there has never been any legally sanctioned CITES sale of ivory to the Philippines.
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