I make my living carving ancient bone much of it is from whales that were taken from 500 to 2500 years ago by Eskimos in skin boats.
This material falls under the jurisdictions of National Marine Fisheries and the laws determining its use are the Marine mammal Act and the Endangered Species Act. We have been told if it can be determined to be a fossil there are no restrictions on its use by non native Alaskans. This material is purchased from The Siberian Yupik People on St Lawrence Island who dig it from their own private land. This is where almost all the walrus ivory sold for knife handles comes from.
This bone is mineralized to about the same degree as mammoth ivory that is found here in the north.
The interpretation of these regulations for the last 31 years has been that it is legal to for us to use this material because it is pre Act and came from private land. It looks like I may have find another material to use for my sculpture.
This material falls under the jurisdictions of National Marine Fisheries and the laws determining its use are the Marine mammal Act and the Endangered Species Act. We have been told if it can be determined to be a fossil there are no restrictions on its use by non native Alaskans. This material is purchased from The Siberian Yupik People on St Lawrence Island who dig it from their own private land. This is where almost all the walrus ivory sold for knife handles comes from.
This bone is mineralized to about the same degree as mammoth ivory that is found here in the north.
The interpretation of these regulations for the last 31 years has been that it is legal to for us to use this material because it is pre Act and came from private land. It looks like I may have find another material to use for my sculpture.
