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Need Help Identifying This Old Horn/tusk/bone?

Discussion in 'Skulls and Skeletons' started by jrv2765, Jan 26, 2022.

  1. Jan 26, 2022 #1
    jrv2765

    jrv2765 New Member

    2
    1
    New Jersey
    Hi- apologies if this isn’t the correct place to post but this seems like a pretty knowledgeable group, so I’m hoping someone will be able to identify this…
    We’ve recently been cleaning out our basement and I came across a box of art & random knick knacksnthat my grandparents had put aside for me years ago when they sold their home.

    At the bottom of the box, my son found this random horn or tusk looking item- which I vaguely recall from their first house. I attempted to search via Google images, but the results completely varied.
    It’s very heavy and definitely very old…Measures approximately 17”l x 3” w. Area of pencil marks and areas where it appears someone scratched an illegible name/word into it. Really would love to know more about it if anyone has any information. Thank you!
     

    Attached Files:

  3. Jan 26, 2022 #2
    Rausch

    Rausch Well-Known Member

    1,588
    1,941
    Missoula MT
    It appears to be a walrus tusk.
     
    e101011 and jrv2765 like this.

  5. Jan 26, 2022 #3
    jrv2765

    jrv2765 New Member

    2
    1
    New Jersey
    Thank you! My teenage son is especially excited about it.
     
    Rausch likes this.
  6. Jan 27, 2022 #4
    AZ~Rich

    AZ~Rich " Africa" never fails to satisfy

    691
    350
    Tucson, AZ
    I would concur- Walrus
     
  7. Jan 27, 2022 #5
    Tanglewood Taxidermy

    Tanglewood Taxidermy Well-Known Member

    8,832
    8,383
    dallas oregon
    Yep, walrus.
     
  8. Mar 8, 2022 #6
    steve torna

    steve torna New Member

    24
    11
    Montana
    I think it is a small elephant tusk. Walrus tusks are usually (not always) oval in cross section compared to elephant tusks which are more spherical in cross section. Most important is the pattern of the dentin observed on the cross section of the tooth. If you see a criss-cross or cross hatched pattern (schreger lines) around the edges of the tusk on the surface where the tusk is cut, it is an elephant. Additionally, the cross section of a walrus tusk will have secondary dentin (kind of a soap bubble -like appearance) at the center of the tusk. To me, your tusk is almost certainly from a small elephant.
     
  9. Mar 8, 2022 #7
    PA

    PA Well-Known Member

    1,661
    1,853
    I have little experience with these but googling "walrus tusk cross section" it does appear to not be a walrus. You know your stuff Mr. Torna.

    walrus tusk cross section - Google Search
     
  10. Mar 8, 2022 #8
    Great Skulls

    Great Skulls Active Member

    860
    196
    100% elephant. Not sure which species. The schreger lines are obvious and not found in walruses at all.
     
    PA likes this.
  11. Mar 8, 2022 #9
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    13,609
    1,774
    Taxachusetts
    As Great Skulls and others stated, 100% elephant tusk. At that length, the upper section of a walrus tusk starts to get hollow. At 17 inches, those are solid. The shape is also wrong for walrus. The further away from the tip of a walrus tusk you get, the more oval it becomes. Lucky you. :)

    What is written on it is the number 4761 or 4767. Hard to tell with the light reflection.
     
    Last edited: Mar 8, 2022