This composition features 7 mammoths, which includes two calves. It is an example of relief carving, showing a flat representation of three-dimensional objects on a panel. An observer may enjoy how the smooth shapes of mammoths are enclosed within the scenery of their habitat. The panel is about 1/4 to 3/8 inch thick, and it is enough thickness to show mammoths in great detail. You may see how the trunks of the mother and the calf tangle. It is interesting to look at the panel from different angles and discover more details of the work.
The piece measures about 15 inches high. It is carved from a bark ivory piece that was cleaned, polished and dried. The colors are all natural. By looking close at the details, one may notice how the texture and color of ivory changes with the depth of the carving. There is a number of cracks that run along the piece, but none of them harms the composition. Instead, they add to the authenticity and age of the ivory.
