Abalone

Abalone is the English variant of the Spanish name Abulón used for various species of shellfish (mollusks) from the Haliotidae family, which are characterized by a richly coloured mother-of-pearl inner shell.  Abalone is frequently used as an inlay in Native carvings and jewellery.

  Damascus Steel

Damascus steel, also known as Damascened steel or water steel, is a type of steel used in custom knife and sword making.

 

The steel shows complex patterns on the surface, which results from internal structural elements in the steel.  These patterns are the result of the unique forging methods used for the creation of Damascened steel, and skilled swordsmiths can manipulate the patterns to create complex designs in the surface of the steel.

 

Creating Damascus steel is a sword making technique that was used in Europe and Japan, in creating samurai swords for example, in which a mechanical process lays up strips of material which are then folded together.  Etching the blade in acid reveals the layering below the surface.

  Diamond Willow

Diamond willow is found in very few parts of the world, existing primarily in the boreal forest of the north.  The characteristic diamonds within the wood form due to interaction of the Valsa sordida fungus with the willow, producing strong contrasting colours and sculptural irregularity of shape.

  Mammoth Tusk Ivory

Mammoths are thought to have originated in North Africa about 4.8 million years ago, sharing a common ancestor with the Asian elephant.  Mammoths ranged across Europe and Asia and crossed the now submerged Bering Land Bridge into North America.  The particular species "woolly mammoth" arose around 300,000 years ago and was better able to survive the extreme cold of the Ice Ages, thriving until their extinction during the last Ice Age, close to 10,000 years ago.

 

The mammoth's tusk could reach up to 16 feet in length, and fossilized tusks of the woolly mammoth are occasionally discovered by northern miners and prospectors.  Native artists obtain these tusks to incorporate the ivory into their artwork.

 

Mammoth tusk ivory has become a popular alternative to elephant ivory, and carries with it the significance and romanticism of ages past.

  Mastadon Tusk Ivory

Mastadons resembled the woolly mammoth but were distinct in that they did not belong to the family Elephantidae and had blunt, conical teeth.  They first appeared approximately 4 million years ago and became extinct close to 10,000 years ago.  They stood about 3 metres tall and had tusks up to 5 metres (16 feet) long.  Their fossilized tusks are utilized in Native carvings and artwork.

  Musk Ox Horn

The musk ox is an arctic mammal of the Bovidae family, noted for its thick coat and for the male's strong odor.  Both sexes have long curved horns and are usually around 2.5 m long and 1.4 m high at the shoulder.  Adults usually weigh at least 200 kg and can exceed 400 kg. Their coat, a mix of brown, gray, and yellow, includes long guard hairs that reach almost to the ground.  During the summer musk oxen live in wet areas, such as river valleys, moving to higher elevations in the winter to avoid deep snow.  Musk oxen are social and live in herds, usually of around 10 to 20 animals, but sometimes in groups of over 100.  Winter herds consist of adults of both sexes as well as young animals.

 

Horn from both the crown and the curved portion of the horn is used in various northern Native carvings and artwork.

  Narwhal Tusk

The narwhal, whose name is derived from the Old Norse word náhvalr, is an Arctic species of cetacean with a body similar to that of a beluga whale and the Irrawaddy Dolphin.  It is one of two species of whale in the Monodontidae family, the other of which is the beluga whale.  The narwhal is rarely found south of latitude 70°N.

 

The most conspicuous characteristic of male narwhals is their single extraordinarily long tusk, which is a tooth that projects from the left side of the upper jaw and forms a left-handed helix.  The tusk can be up to 10 feet in length, and is incorporated in to many Native carvings and sculptures.

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