The mammoth is a prehistoric relative to the present day elephant, and has been extinct for thousands of years. Mammoth tusks are found in the tundra of Alaska and Siberia, and profits support the native populations of both areas. Because we only use fossil mammoth ivory, NOT elephant tusk, absolutely no elephants were harmed during the making of our beautiful carvings.

The allure of this material is quite understandable, as not only is one purchasing a masterfully crafted piece of art, but also a "dinosaur" fossil possibly millions of years old! 

Fossil walrus tusk is dug up in the tundra of Alaska. There is strong commercial regulation by the U.S. government regarding its trade, and only tusks excavated by native Alaskan Inuits and found on native lands may be sold. 

This beautiful material is often tens of thousands of years old, and will sometimes be the remains of an Inuit artifact. These artifacts were most frequently ancient fire starters, sled runners, net sinkers, and harpoon catches. If you are lucky enough to buy a carving made from an artifact, you'll own a piece of native American history in addition to a fantastic work of folk art. 

Tagua is the ivory-like nut from a palm tree in South America. When sectioned, sanded, and polished its dense texture and mellow color resembles the fine qualities of ivory. Residents of Equador gather Tagua in the rain forest. It is then used in the manufacturing of buttons, jewelry, and arts and crafts. Tagua is an environmentally friendly material that also provides jobs for people in the rain forest. These carvings were hand made, utlizing this amazing material for its many beautiful qualities. 

Check out some of our Balinese tagua carvings here.