Pine Tree Necklace
Hand carved from fossil mammoth tusk
Pendant hangs from 18" silver chain
Carving measures 8mm across, 26mm tall and 7mm thick (3/8" across, 1" tall and 1/4" thick)
Fossil mammoth tusk is a magnificent medium to work with for many reasons. The material itself is very dense so it takes detail well. Mammoth tusk also has a specific grain, which is quite beautiful and differentiates it from other illegal ivory sources. The colouring is also an interesting aspect to work into a design. I like to use the surface of the tusk (called the "bark", much like a tree) as it offers a good contrast to the ivory underneath. The colour variation is endless, depending on what minerals and tannins the tusk was next to in the ground. The main reason that I like to carve from Mammoth tusk is that it has a certain mystique. Early North Americans used the whole woolly mammoth. I like to think that 10,000 to 60,000 years ago, a hunter fed his family with the meat of the mammoth and now I use its tusk to "feed" my family.
Please note that fossil mammoth is restricted in the following states: CA, DC, HI, IL, NV, NH, NJ, and NY.
It is also prohibited in India.