Walrus ivory

Walrus ivory, also called morse, comes from the long upper teeth, or tusks, of a walrus. These tusks grow all the time and can become very big—up to one metre long in some Pacific walruses. Because of their special shape and look, walrus teeth are often carved and traded for their beauty.

The tip of a walrus tusk has a layer of tooth enamel, but this wears away when the walrus is young. As the tusk grows, tiny cracks form inside, starting in a hard layer called cementum and moving into a softer part called dentine. You can see these cracks along the whole length of the tusk. If you cut a walrus tusk to look at it, it usually has an oval shape with spaces along the edges.

Inside the tusk, there are two kinds of dentine. The primary dentine looks like classic ivory, while the secondary dentine has a marbled or oatmeal-like pattern. These special qualities make walrus ivory very popular for carving and decoration.

Carving

Walrus-ivory carving and engraving has been a special art for people in the Arctic since very old times. Groups such as the Inuit, Inupiaq, and Yupik in Greenland and North America, and the Chukchi and Koryak in Russia, have made beautiful items from walrus ivory. Today, the Chukchi and Bering Sea Yupik still keep this tradition alive.

Long ago, during the Early Medieval period, walrus ivory was traded to Europe by Vikings when elephant ivory was hard to find. This trade helped people in Europe make lovely things. Later, elephant ivory became more common again. The Norse people also made special items like the Lewis chessmen from walrus ivory.