Creation Date

1931 – 1955

Description

"Carved Ivory Cross. A one inch, light beige ivory cross, etched in black, on one side with a fish and on the other side with the head of a seal. Tiny objects such as this cross were carved by the Eskimos to be attached to a ribbon which would be used to mark the page in a book."

Ivory Carving has a long history in the Artic and Subarctic. All the utensils, tools, and weapons were made by hand from ivory and other natural materials such as horn, bone, and animal hides. These same materials were used to make decorative objects. Traditionally, these decorative objects were also miniatures so that they could be transported easily by these nomadic people.

The color of the ivory changes with age. Fossilized ivory may be several thousands of years old. Its color can range from golden to brown or even black. These rare color ivories are more precious to Eskimo carvers than new white ivory.