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Name: |
Welcoming the newcomers |
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Material: |
The outer layer of mammoth tusk that is called bark ivory and it is slightly different than inner ivory. It is much stronger and protects tusk from breaking during animal’s life. It’s current color is determined by minerals that were absorbed while it was in the ground for 10000-40000 years. This particular piece is very unique because of it’s coloration. The tusk split apart as far as several thousand years ago and this piece got “colored” by minerals at front and back leaving layer of white ivory in the middle. It helped to separate images of mammoths from the background. No artificial coloring was applied to this ivory carving. It may be suggested that many of the cracks started to appear during animal’s life. |
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Description: |
While male woolly mammoths led solitary life, female mammoths lived in groups where they could provide care and protection for each other and their young. This carving shows episode from life of such “family”. It looks like new female and her baby want to join the group and rest of the mammoths came to look at them. |
