Extraction of mammoth tusks is a difficult and dangerous trade in Siberia. How mammoth tusks are illegally mined The largest mammoth tusk

Mammoth tusks are quite common finds in Siberia and Yakutia. Due to the high demand for them, many residents are engaged in their extraction, despite the hard work.

About mammoths

This large mammals, externally similar to elephants and being representatives of the same family, but greatly exceeding them in size. Another significant difference between mammoths was that they were covered with thick and long hair. According to scientists, their height sometimes exceeded five meters, and their weight was about one and a half dozen tons. The mammoth tusks, photos of which can be seen below, were quite comparable to the size of their owners.

Thus, the longest of all those found in Russia weighed more than 100 kg, and its length was about 4.5 m. The diameter of such a tusk can be about 18 cm. The weight of an average tusk is about 50-60 kg.

Why did mammoths disappear?

Due to the sharp warming, glaciers began to rapidly melt. This led to the flooding of places where mammoths lived. Thus, many of them died of starvation, being cut off from the mainland. The most numerous herds were concentrated in the northern part of Siberia. Therefore it is here that he rests greatest number their remains.

About the fishery

Mammoth tusks, of which up to 60 tons can be buried in Russia, and according to some sources there are many more, are very difficult to obtain. Animal remains are found in hard-to-reach places. They often have to be lifted from the bottom of lakes or pulled out of swamps. Sometimes prospectors spend several days to extract the coveted loot. It happens that people are lucky and find tusks on the banks of rivers or in ravines. This material has great value, which is comparable to amber and pearls. In addition, bone is also similar in strength to the aforementioned natural precious materials. Since tusk has plasticity and beauty, products made from it are sometimes very expensive, estimated in some cases at millions of dollars.

For researchers, the location of the remains of giants is important scientific point vision. They allow you to get more information about the climate, animals and plants of those periods, therefore illegal extraction of tusks is harmful scientific work. One of the goals is to recreate the mammoth by cloning it. But unfortunately, it has not yet been possible to find a suitable biomaterial for this.

How profitable is the business?

In ancient times, Siberians were famous for their ability to create real works of art from mammoth ivory. Moreover, due to the size of the source material, these could be truly large-scale works. But the carvers were not limited to gigantic works; they could also offer skillfully carved small figurines, chess pieces, boxes, and combs. The items served not only decorative functions, but were also used in everyday life. For example, the mammoth ivory pipe was a beautiful and functional musical instrument.

By the middle of the last century, the number of carvers had seriously decreased. Today it is quite difficult to find masters.

Now the extraction of bone is associated with its sale abroad; the predominant market is China, where the demand for this unique material is unusually high. Products made from mammoth ivory are very popular there. And the art of creation unusual works from this material is one of the revered traditions that are not only not forgotten, but also continue to develop. Almost all extracted material is sold illegally. The explanation for this lies on the surface - there is stable demand with a good price. Thus, according to experts, the cost of this material on the Russian black market is tens and sometimes hundreds of times lower than in neighboring China.

The complexity of the work

Despite the prospect of high earnings, the work of obtaining this unique material is severe and has a lot of risks. Mammoth tusks can only be obtained in summer period. Based on the fact that their reserves decrease every year, more and more time and effort are spent on searching. Sometimes you have to do the hardest work, actually cutting down the found exhibit, while its size and quality greatly affect the selling price.

Not every miner's trip is crowned with success, so there is no need to talk about permanent income. A serious problem is that such mining is illegal, therefore, in addition to difficult conditions living in the forest, miners need to hide from the police. But the opportunity to earn up to one hundred thousand dollars per team forces many to take risks.

Products

The largest mammoths died out about ten thousand years ago, the dwarf ones - about three and a half thousand years ago. Therefore, tusks are the most valuable material from which various souvenirs and art objects are made. In addition, this material is often combined with others. For example, knives are made this way. Unique and beautiful handles are created from mammoth ivory, while the blade can be made of Damascus steel. Such a souvenir can become a reliable companion for lovers of fishing, hunting and hiking. The cost of such a product is quite high and not everyone can afford it. The material is valued not only for its rarity, but also for its strength, reliability and ability to be preserved for many years.

Despite the fact that the vast majority of products, as well as the source material, are traded on the black market, some people find ways to bring them out of the shadows. After paperwork is completed, the price of such items rises even higher. It cannot be stated unconditionally that any product has significant value and is easy to find a buyer for. The quality of the source material and the uniqueness of the work, the name of the master and the age of the product are the main ones, but far from full list criteria for pricing each job.

You can purchase products in stores specializing in luxury and expensive gifts, in antique shops, and at auctions. But in order to see works made from tusk in person, you don’t have to buy them; some museums have similar products in their collections that are on public display.

About 10 thousand years ago, the northern part of Siberia was inhabited by shaggy giants similar to elephants and called mammoths. A now extinct genus of mammals suffered due to rising temperatures at the end of the last ice age. As a result of warming, their habitat was gradually flooded and, as a result, decreased. Most of the animals were imprisoned on isolated islands, from where there was no chance of returning to the mainland.

Finding a well-preserved mammoth corpse is a great success. Much more often you can find their tusks. So often that there are people involved in their extraction.

Mammoth tusks found on the shore of a pond

Extraction of mammoth tusks in the depths of Siberian lands
The indigenous peoples of the northern regions, who previously often encountered tusks washed by spring waters, believed that giant animals moved underground, exposing only their huge “fangs” above its surface. They called them Eggor, i.e. earthen deer. According to other legends, mammoths lived at the beginning of creation. Due to their enormous weight, they constantly sank chest-deep into the ground. In the paths created by mammoths, riverbeds and streams were formed, which ultimately led to complete flooding (there is a legend that during biblical flood the animals wanted to escape on Noah's Ark, but could not fit there). For some time the animals swam across the endless waters, but the birds landing on their tusks doomed them to death.

Sculptural figures made from mammoth tusks
Throughout the European part of Russia and Siberia, until the middle of the 20th century, the folk art of bone carving actively flourished. Local carvers produced combs, boxes, miniature sculptures and accessories exclusively from mammoth tusks. This material is very beautiful, flexible and durable, although it is somewhat difficult to process. Its hardness is equal to such materials as pearls, amber and coral. Mammoth bones are easily processed with a chisel, acquiring a magnificent mesh pattern, and thanks to large sizes Almost any sculptural shape can be made from them.

Extraction of mammoth ivory in the far north of Yakutia
Mammoth tusks are returned from the permafrost through the hard work of seekers. Their extraction is quite difficult, since ancient material is often hidden in swampy places, at the bottom of rivers, and in the tundra. Often tusks are found along the banks of streams, lakes and ravines. To extract one artifact, the miner requires from several hours to several days of continuous excavation. Before taking the found material, tusk hunters throw it into the dug hole. silver jewelry or colored balls as an offering to local spirits.

The difficult process of extracting mammoth ivory
Today, almost all extraction of mammoth tusks in the vast expanses of Siberia is illegal, and about 90% of the resulting “jewels” ultimately end up in China, where it is highly revered ancient tradition ivory carvings. The rapid increase in demand is causing some concern among researchers, as it leads to the loss of valuable data about the animals that lived on this earth, whose tusks contain information about climate, food and environment. There may still be millions or more mammoth tusks trapped in Siberian permafrost, but finding them is becoming increasingly difficult every year. Currently, the cost of a kilogram of quality mammoth bones on the black market is about 25 thousand rubles, and in antique stores in China the price of one elaborately carved tusk can reach a million dollars.

Fancy Mammoth Tusk

Mammoth tusk carving

Active mining of mammoth ivory in Siberia

Prey of mammoth tusk hunters

Evaluation of found mammoth tusks

Preparing for transportation of a found mammoth tusk

Extraction of mammoth tusks in Siberia

A resting mammoth tusk hunter admires the landscapes of Siberia

Search for mammoth tusks in Siberia

Leisure time for mammoth tusk hunters

What can be made from a mammoth

Tusk smuggling:

The rare cargo was detained at Khabarovsk airport by Rosselkhoznadzor specialists. Mammoth tusks weighing 130 kilograms arrived on a flight from Moscow. Required documents The recipient did not have the remains of an extinct animal. The valuable cargo had to be detained in the warehouse.

The art of bone carving is well known in different parts Russia. In the mid-twentieth century, products made from mammoth tusks, they still do not lose their value. The main extraction of tusks takes place in Yakutia (Far North). Every year, with titanic efforts local residents about 40-60 tons are mined, most often this is illegal and dangerous fishing...

Mammoth ivory is in demand all over the world. Russia has a fairly large reserve of this material. It numbers about several hundred tons. Despite such a huge number, archaeologists do not stop, but continue to look for where to find

Are there frequent cases of successful excavations aimed at finding mammoth bones?

Every year the warehouse is replenished by approximately several tens of tons. A wide variety of finds were found. Of these, the largest can be distinguished: their length is 4-4.5 meters, diameter 1.8-1.9 decimeters.

A mammoth tusk can weigh 0.1-0.11 tons. In Africa, researchers found this part of an elephant skeleton, which weighed 0.095 tons.

Mammoth bone rests near bodies of water

Where does the extraction of mammoth tusks take place? As a rule, they are dug up near former reservoirs, because the animals were drawn to sources of moisture. You can also stumble upon a mammoth tusk somewhere in a ravine or deep on a river bottom.

The Siberian region is extremely rich in this artifact, because the North is a very favorable habitat for the animal, where it did not feel hot in a thick and dense fur coat. Siberia bestows the scientific light of archeology with thousands of mammoth tusks. More precisely, about 20,000-35,000 kilograms are found annually.

Russia - home of mammoths

Studying the statistics, you can catch yourself thinking that on the lands of today’s Russia, mammoths really liked it, and it was more than comfortable, because the number of finds is simply amazing in its abundance. Moreover, not only the northern part of Siberia was their home, as it might seem at first glance.

The nineteenth and twentieth centuries were rich in mammoth ivory. The overwhelming number of successful excavations took place in the Ob region and Yakutia. Thus, it is clear why the Yakuts and Tobolsk people held products made from mammoth ivory in such esteem.

Craftsmen created small sculptures, boxes, watch stands, and combs. These things were made entirely of bone. Everyone wanted to decorate their neck with such a thing as an amulet made from mammoth ivory.

The land on which the glorious city of Arkhangelsk now stands is also famous for its fertility of archaeological values. They also made jewelry and objects that were used in everyday life from mammoth ivory. They were performed by skilled Kholmogory craftsmen.

Extraction of a valuable artifact

Getting mammoth ivory is interesting and profitable occupation, however, not easy. The river bottom is the most frequent place location of this material. Either it is a swamp or tundra. In a word, you won’t be able to get away with it in the literal sense of the word. And you will have to get your hands dirty, but for what purpose! Extraction is only half the battle. When an artifact seeker is happy with a find, he is faced with the following task: now these raw materials also need to be delivered to a processing point. During construction and archaeological excavations, and also when geological surveys are carried out, you can really stumble upon a mammoth tusk. The photo gives an idea of ​​what sizes and shapes they have.

This often happens in Chukotka, northern Yakutia, and Tyumen lands. Since bone carving was a folk art and was popular in the northern part of Russia, which is part of Europe, and in Siberia until the twentieth century, many examples of masterful processing of mammoth ivory have accumulated.

What bones are suitable for work?

There are no special requirements or strict conditions that would limit the freedom in choosing a material that will later be turned into a beautiful product. The bone can be chosen at your discretion.

The following types of materials were mainly used:

1. moose, cows and deer are quite suitable for processing. They are durable and products made from them last a long time. You can take the horn of any ungulate animal.
2. Not only horns are suitable for these purposes. Camels, cows and horses have good tubular tibias that can be safely used. The main condition is that the animal must be large and have ungulates.
3. Mammoths and elephants are excellent “suppliers” of tusks for further artistic processing.
4. The sperm whale is also a potential “supplier” of bone, and to be precise, its tooth is valuable.
5. Walruses can give considerable competition with their tusks.
6. The rhinoceros is an animal that can truly be proud of what gapes on its forehead. In the same way, every craftsman is proud when he gets the horn of this strong animal into his hands for processing.
7. Narwhal is another individual whose bone is ideal for making beautiful and useful products.

What are the restrictions?

There are regulations, the text of which includes restrictions or even prohibits the sale of horns of animals such as narwhal and rhinoceros. The sale of sperm whale teeth is also limited.

Since 2002, the UN has partially banned the trade in elephant ivory. What then is legal? Mammoth tusks can be sold, and the sale of artiodactyl horns is also permitted. These bans are introduced in order to prevent the brutal killing of animals for profit, so this does not apply to the long-extinct mammoths, because they have not been among them for 10 thousand years existing species fauna representatives. Their bone can be safely used and exported. The only, but important detail: it is necessary to draw up a document permitting production and export abroad.

But still, working with a mammoth tusk is much easier than with ivory or walrus tusk. These are justified restrictions that prevent damage to nature and insure animal world from poaching. Fortunately, there are still many rivers in Siberia, in the soil of which mammoth bones rest, so that living elephants can calmly nibble grass at a watering hole and not worry too much.

Benefits of mammoth tusks

They are deservedly valued above all other similar substitutes. This material is plastic and beautiful. But you have to pay for it, so it is rated higher. It is not so easy to process, but it serves conscientiously and for a long time.

This material is continuous, there is very little void in it, the mass can be considered almost homogeneous. Since the dimensions can be very large, there is the possibility of carving a large sculpture. In order to process a mammoth tusk, you need a chisel. When cut, the sculptor will see a pattern made of a beautiful mesh. Appearance The product is very effective, whatever the processing method. The artifact is painted, polished and engraved. We know about the hardness of amber, pearls and coral. So, mammoth bone is in no way inferior to them.

Analogues and substitutes

If we talk about the tarsus, it has a tubular structure. And here the sculptor has less scope for the scope of his imagination. Some carvers prefer it because it costs less. Russians most often use the tarsus of a cow, while Asians borrow this material from camels. There are also craftsmen who, thanks to their skill, pass off a cheap substitute as mammoth tusk. Although a trained eye will notice the difference in no time.

It has a yellowish or brown heterogeneous color. One-year-old rings can be seen on the tusk. You may have seen something similar on a cross-section of a wooden trunk. So be extremely careful when buying products made from mammoth ivory. To protect yourself from purchasing a counterfeit, consult with professionals. This will avoid wasting money.

Mammoth tusk sticking out of the ground

The remains of mammoths, in particular their tusks, today have the status of the most common fossil finds in the Siberian regions. According to scientists, reserves of this ancient material in Russia reach hundreds of thousands of tons, and annual production amounts to several tens (20-60) tons. Considering the volumes of mined relics, one can only imagine the enormous number of mammoths that lived on these lands in those distant times. The famous record-breaking tusks curled in a spiral for 4-4.5 meters, their weight was 100-110 kg, and their diameter was 18-19 cm.

Mammoth tusks found on the shore of a pond

The indigenous peoples of the northern regions, who previously often encountered tusks washed by spring waters, believed that giant animals moved underground, exposing only their huge “fangs” above its surface. They called them Eggor, i.e. earthen deer. According to other legends, mammoths lived at the beginning of creation. Due to their enormous weight, they constantly sank chest-deep into the ground. In the paths created by mammoths, riverbeds and streams formed, which ultimately led to complete flooding (there is a legend that during the biblical flood, animals wanted to escape on Noah’s Ark, but could not fit there). For some time the animals swam across the endless waters, but the birds landing on their tusks doomed them to death.

Extraction of mammoth tusks in the depths of Siberian lands

Throughout the European part of Russia and Siberia, until the middle of the 20th century, the folk art of bone carving actively flourished. Local carvers produced combs, boxes, miniature sculptures and accessories exclusively from mammoth tusks. This material is very beautiful, flexible and durable, although it is somewhat difficult to process. Its hardness is equal to such materials as pearls, amber and coral. Mammoth bones can be easily processed with a chisel, acquiring a magnificent mesh pattern, and due to their large size, they can be used to create almost any sculptural shape.

Cultural figurines made from mammoth tusks

Mammoth tusks are returned from the permafrost through the hard work of seekers. Their extraction is quite difficult, since ancient material is often hidden in swampy places, at the bottom of rivers, and in the tundra. Often tusks are found along the banks of streams, lakes and ravines. To extract one artifact, the miner requires from several hours to several days of continuous excavation. Before taking the material they find, tusk hunters throw silver jewelry or colored balls into the dug hole as an offering to local spirits.

Extraction of mammoth ivory in the far north of Yakutia

The difficult process of extracting mammoth ivory

Today, almost all extraction of mammoth tusks in the vast expanses of Siberia is illegal, and about 90% of the resulting “jewels” ultimately end up in China, where the ancient tradition of ivory carving is highly revered. The rapid increase in demand is causing some concern among researchers because it is leading to the loss of valuable data on the animals that lived on this earth, whose tusks contain information about climate, food and environment. There may still be millions or more mammoth tusks trapped in Siberian permafrost, but finding them is becoming increasingly difficult every year. Currently, the cost of a kilogram of high-quality mammoth bones on the black market is about 25 thousand rubles, and in antique stores in China the price of one skillfully carved tusk can reach a million dollars.

Fancy Mammoth Tusk

Mammoth tusk carving

Active mining of mammoth ivory in Siberia

Prey of mammoth tusk hunters

Evaluation of found mammoth tusks

Preparing for transportation of a found mammoth tusk