Ivory sperm whale

Tooth and tusk ivory can be carved into an almost infinite variety of shapes and objects. A small example of carved ivory objects are small (50) statuary, netsukes, jewelry, flatware handles, furniture inlays, and piano keys. Additionally, wart hog tusks, and teeth from sperm whales, killer whales, and hippos can also be scrimshawed or superficially carved, thus retaining their original shapes as morphologically recognizable objects. 

It is most usual to come across ivory from the sperm whale (cachalot), and the orca (killer whale). These two are here grouped together due to the similarity of the structure of their teeth. 

The diagnostic for certain ivories is their structural patterns, for example the engine turning pattern in elephant or mammoth ivory, the tapioca pudding look of the secondary dentine in walrus ivory, the diagonal pattern on narwhal ivory and the concentric lines and dark central spot of sperm whale ivory (F 3.4 and 3.12-3.17). In larger carvii or objects, the curvature of a tusk may be detectable. Examination of the structural pattern is needed to determine which type of tusk has been used. 

Figure 13 FT-Raman spectra of true ivory 1064-nm excitation, 500 spectral scans accumulated, 4-cm spectral resolution (a) sperm whale ivory, (b) elephant ivory, and (c) walrus ivory. 

Figure 1 Roman die, ca. AD 300, from archaeological excavations at Frocester Villa, Gloucester, UK. Raman spectroscopy has suggested the origin of the die as sperm whale ivory. (See Colour Plate 1).

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