A Selection Of Mineralized Fossil Walrus Ivory Cabohons
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Old Walrus Ivory is derived from two sources. The majority is excavated from ancient Eskimo dwellings or village sites and is 100 to 2500 years old. The color of the ivory is dependant on how long it has been buried and the type of soil it’s buried in. Black ivory comes from brownish-black organic soil while the brownish or orangish colored material is excavated from iron stained sandy or
gravely soils.
A walrus tusk cut in cross sections will reveal two distinctive types of material: the outer enamel
which is harder and uniform in texture and the inner, softer, dentine or core, which has a crystalline
appearance. The enamel layer is usually 3/8” to 1/2” thick in both male and female walrus ivory, but
the core of female ivory is small compared to the core of male ivory. Adult female walrus tusks
usually weigh 1 1/2 to 2 lbs while adult male tusks usually weigh 4 to 6 lbs and can be 10 lbs or more
on rare occasions.