Fossil walrus, to cut or not to cut

David Wesner said:
No doubt about it :thumbup: :thumbup: Fantastic piece !!

Mark, I'm trying to learn something here. In regards to the ivory tusk, isn't there a name for the grooves these tusks show at the ends ??

What are they caused from and what do you call them ??

Thanks for your time and thanks for posting this. You always have the coolest "stuff" ;) :)



:cool:
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Hi David, I think what appears to be "grooves" you are asking about are where the outside of the tusk is warn off from the dragging of the tusks as the animals moved around in daily life, they are actually flat. I am not sure what they are called. It is hard to find tusks from older animals don't have "tapioca" showing from these warn off spots. Some people say they get warn from digging clams, and that may be partially true, though they mostly just suck clams from the ocean floor. (they eat almost only clams) Walrus have been seen using tusks to climb up onto ice and walking along the ocean floor with them. They are nick named "tooth" or "tusk walkers" Most of this info was gleaned from a lecture I recently attended by a leading walrus biologist.

An ancient eskimo saying goes some thing like this "Never eat the clams from a dead walrus' stomach after he has washed up on the beach, it's OK if you get them before he washes up on the beach"


I am very happy about the outcome of this deal, I think the head mount looks just fine the way it is.
 
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