| Tracing the history and origin of Woolly mammoths is | | | | every season about 1 to 2 tons of mammoth ivory are |
| interesting. This species of Mammoths originated about | | | | harvested. |
| 50 million years ago in Africa. Dinosaurs had become | | | | The pieces that are put in the commercial market are |
| extinct about 10 million years ago and the closest | | | | either odd pieces, pieces of tusks or even complete |
| descendants are the modern elephants. Mammoths | | | | tusks that are readily bought. The raw cut tusks are |
| spread in Europe, America and Asia due to the | | | | brownish in color and are sliced into fine sheets. These |
| landmass in Bearing Sea which was used to connect | | | | pieces undergo different process to be available to |
| different continents. Migration and spread of these | | | | artists to be painted. Smaller pieces and chips are |
| huge shaggy beasts spread over all the continents and | | | | rejected for use by artists and sculptures are used by |
| the remains are uncovered in Asia and upper regions | | | | manufacturers who make piano keys and small |
| of Europe. | | | | jewelry items. Many pieces of mammoth ivory chips |
| About 10,000 years ago, mammoths and early man | | | | are used to create small decorative pieces and |
| existed together. Archaeological evidence shows that | | | | handles of guns, knives and coasters. |
| Woolly mammoths were butchered and men relished | | | | Watercolors are the preferred medium to use on this |
| its flesh and chopped the ivory for making a | | | | material as it enhances the natural translucence. |
| framework for their dwellings and utility items for its | | | | Before painting, ivory can be kept in constant |
| durability and hardness. There are many figurines of | | | | temperature and relative humidity, in a dark room |
| animals and humans that Early man crafted whether | | | | covered in a soft material. These mammoth ivory |
| for religious or as a hobby is not known. | | | | procurers make these thin sheets ready for the artist |
| The mammoths got buried and were preserved as | | | | to paint on with even the side marked that has to be |
| they were frozen in the icy land mass of Siberia and | | | | painted with a small cross. These thin sheets are either |
| Alaska. The frozen remains surface up when the | | | | rectangular or oval shaped. Different shaped sheets |
| permafrost melts and traders are able to cut away | | | | are higher in price due to extra wastage while cutting. |
| the ivory for various purposes. Many expeditions are | | | | Artists all over the world value these pieces and |
| led each summer and statistics have shown that | | | | handcraft beautiful paintings on it. |