Post #600897 by MajikImaje on Thu, Aug 4, 2011 8:10 AM

Thank you for your kind words Tikiskip.

Mastodon Ivory has a unique property that no other ivory has. An embedded pattern of cris cross over lapping circles. It is quite spectacular in that (according to internet postings) the circles tell the age in years and looking inside the crosses reveals the months! (not possible with the naked eye)

Looking closely you can see some of the pattern I have spoken about. When sanded and polised to high shine it is much more pronounced and 3d-ish in its appearance.

These broken pieces of ivory look totally useless - but - the fact is: Women spend lots of money on their 'ears'! Here is one of the pieces(25,000) years old; made into a $50.00 pair of beautiful ear-rings.

Many people walk right past mastodon ivory when it is uncovered on the beaches or on tundra. For all practical purposes it looks just like a piece of old driftwood; that is .. until you pick it up. Wood is light and 'airy'. Mastodon is heavy & dense.

Now, take a string, and wrap it around the small piece and draw lines, now begin to cut those lines out.

When finished it looks just; so very similar to a piece of 'pasta'!!

Mastodon (because of its multi-millenniums of age) is extremely dry and very brittle. Impossible as it may seem. Soaking these pieces in baby oil & mineral oil adds much needed moisture to the ivory. So much so.. that is possible to bend these curved pieces straight!!

STORIES STORIES STORIES - that is the #1 request I receive on the many different forums I post on - "more stories - more photos - more more !!
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