[Bonetools] Mammoth tusk as raw material in Roman times?

[trzaska at lineone.net]

This would need to be checked but I think I am right in believing that a merovingian object from 
Frankfurt Dom was also thought to be mammoth ivory: 

Hampel, A. and Bannerjee, A., 1995
Identifizierung und Differenzierung von Elfenbein am Bespiel des merowingerzeitlichen Grabfundes 
aus dem Frankfurter Dom, Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 25, 143-7



>From a secure context as well I think, but is it mammoth ?



Ian Riddler







>----Original Message----

>From: selenavitezovic at gmail.com

>Date: 17/04/2013 12:42 

>To: "Mailing list for archaeologists of the research group for the study of

>	object and waste of bone,

>	antler. ivory and horn."<bonetools at listserv.niif.hu>

>Subj: Re: [Bonetools] Mammoth tusk as raw material in Roman times?

>

>Hello, everyone,

>

>The item is from the secured context, it was discovered during the

>excavations conducted by Sofija Petković herself.

>As to the photos, it must be checked with Sofija first.

>L'objet était trouvé pendant les fouilles qui était menée par Sofija

>Petković. Il faut verifié avec Sofija pour les photos.

>

>best regards, Selena

>

>

>On 17 April 2013 12:31, S O'Connor <S.Oconnor at bradford.ac.uk> wrote:

>

>> Dear Sonja,

>>

>> As François says, it would be useful to know the context for the object. Is

>> it possible for us to see some photographs of the fragment?

>>

>> Thanks,

>>

>> Sonia

>>

>> Dr Sonia O'Connor PhD FSA FIIC ACR Honorary Visiting Fellow, University of

>> York

>> Post-doctoral Research Fellow

>> Archaeological Sciences

>> Division of AGES,

>> University of Bradford

>> Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD7 1DP, UK

>>

>> tel 01274 23 6498 (office) 5210 (lab)

>> fax 01274 23 5210

>>

>>

>> -----Original Message-----

>> From: bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu

>> [mailto:bonetools-bounces at listserv.niif.hu] On Behalf Of François Poplin

>> Sent: 17 April 2013 09:11

>> To: bonetools at listserv.niif.hu

>> Subject: Re: [Bonetools] Mammoth tusk as raw material in Roman times?

>>

>> Dear SA O'Connor

>>

>> 1°) I am affraid, but the fact that has not been answered my question "Has

>> it been found in a genuine and secure archaelogical excavation ?"

>> sounds bad,

>>

>> 2°) in that very case, there is a mighty, excellent way to know. Who can

>> tell ? (Olivier please, keep quite for some days).

>>

>> Your's.

>>

>> Le 16/04/2013 14:32, SA O'Connor a écrit :

>> > Dear Sonja,

>> >

>> > I would be really interested in knowing the basis of this

>> > identification. If this is based on Schreger angle measurements, it

>> > may not be possible to differentiate mammoth from extant elephant with

>> > any confidence from a fragment.

>> >

>> > Only the outer Schreger angles are diagnostic, i.e. those in the

>> > outermost layers of the dentine, close to the cementum covering of the

>> > tusk. Towards the centre of a tusk the angles become progressively

>> > smaller and similar in character whether the tusk is from an extant

>> > and extinct proboscidean species. So, even if the Schreger angles

>> > average less than 100 or even 90 degrees, unless traces of the

>> > cementum are visible the fragment might come from any position in the

>> > tusk and could be elephant or mammoth.

>> >

>> > All the best,

>> >

>> > Sonia

>> >

>> >

>> > kQuoting Sonja Vukovic <sonja.vukovic at gmail.com>:

>> >

>> >> Dear colleagues,

>> >>

>> >> I am forwarding you a query from our colleague, Dr Sofija Petkovic

>> >> from the Institute of Archaeology in Belgrade. She is analysing an

>> >> object made of the mammoth tusk, found in Romuliana (Serbia), that

>> >> dates back to the Roman period. The object is fragmented and it

>> >> represents an elephant's head done in a relief. The function of this

>> >> item is unclear, but it was probably an application for some kind of

>> >> furniture or sarcophagi, etc..

>> >>

>> >> She is wondering weather anyone has ever identified a mammoth tusk as

>> >> raw material in Roman period?!

>> >>

>> >> Anyway, she is going to publish this object soon!

>> >>

>> >> Thank you very much,

>> >> best wishes,

>> >>

>> >> Sonja

>> >>

>> >> --

>> >> Sonja Vukovic

>> >> Laboratory for bioarchaeology

>> >> Faculty of Philosophy

>> >> University of Belgrade

>> >> Serbia

>> >>

>> >

>> >

>> > ----------------------------------------------------------------

>> > This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.

>> >

>> >

>> >

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>> >
>>
>>
>> --
>> François POPLIN
>>
>> Directeur honoraire de l’UMR 7209 Archéozoologie, Archébotanique :
>> sociétés,
>> pratiques et environnements
>>
>> Responsable du Séminaire d'Anthropozoologie
>>
>> Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle
>> CP 56
>> Ancien Laboratoire d’Anatomie comparée
>> 55, rue de Buffon
>> 75005 Paris
>> 01 40 79 33 11
>> fax ------ 33 14
>>
>> francoispoplin.blogspot.com
>>
>>
>>
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