Ivory and Bone Jewellery
Ivory is mainly derived from elephant and mammoth tusks (pre-historic mummified remains found occasionally in the Arctic regions). Ivory is the same material as the teeth of most animals. It has a close resemblance to bones also of large mammals, except that it is denser than bone because it has no vascular system in it. Similar to enamel, ivory is 70% dentin and 30% collagen material. Other sources of ivory are hippopotamus, walrus and sperm whales. Other unique or unusual ivory sources are hornbills, which are native to the East Indies only and even plant ivory. This vegetable ivory is the inner seed of the South American ivory palm which is also very hard and smooth when polished, and can absorb dye easily. Since it comes from a plant, it is of cellulose rather than from animal collagen. Trade in ivory in whatever form is illegal to stop the slaughter of elephants and people turn to other sources such as plastics and other synthetic materials.
A display for ivory