The nativity scene, or crib, is a representation of the birth of Jesus, derived from medieval traditions. The term derives from the Latin praesaepe, i.e. crib, manger, composed of prae = in front and saepes = fence, or place that has a fence in front.

The modern nativity scene indicates a traditional reconstruction of the nativity of Jesus Christ during the Christmas period: all the traditional characters and places are therefore reproduced, from the cave to the stars, from the Three Wise Men to the shepherds, from the ox and the donkey to the lambs, and so Street.
The representation can be either
living and iconographic.

Even in Italy the nativity scene differs in the various regions for obvious cultural reasons. For the most part, when we talk about Italian nativity scenes, we do not make a real distinction from a cultural point of view, but in Italy the different nativity scenes differ due to the different products and materials used to recreate the scene of the birth of the baby Jesus.
In this regard, we can remember the Sicilian nativity scene created with the addition of typical Sicilian products such as orange and mandarin branches and on which different materials are used such as ceramic, coral, mother of pearl and alabaster, all typical products of Sicily. We also remember the Genoese nativity scene which is made with wooden shepherds, the Apulian nativity scene which uses paper mache to create the finished product, and finally the famous Neapolitan or Neapolitan nativity scene, which is characterized by the construction of terracotta shepherds, could not be missing. . The terracotta shepherd almost disappeared following the overwhelming success of the plastic shepherd which guaranteed large quantities and therefore low prices. Around 1969, when the terracotta shepherd seemed to have disappeared, it was revived with enormous success by a "shepherd", Nicola De Francesco. He was able to recover the execution techniques and give back to the Neapolitan people what was about to die completely.