Ivory/tooth - North Sea

[Ivaldir]

Hello all,

 

Found this today at the beach at the North Sea (Groede, Netherlands - Miocene, Pliocene and Pleistocene things wash up).

I think it is a piece of ivory, however it's different from the mammoth tusk pieces I've found as in that it seems to have a very hard emaille layer, has striations and it's very heavy. 8*5cm.

I was thinking about maybe a piece of hippo tusk? What do you think?

 

@Shellseeker maybe knows more?

 

Edited July 25 by Ivaldir

[Shellseeker]

So,

most of this is speculation, because I do not live in the Netherlands and do not understand its fossil fauna. 

So the most I can do is tell you how I would proceed to try to get an Identification.

The 1st 2 photos remind me of Mammoth tooth or tusks gradual flaking with a slight preference fpr tusk.  I have only found tusk material from Mammoth, Mastodon, Gomphothere, Rynchotherium, and Rhino. Unfortunately, I have no hippo fossil in my hunting areas.

 

The 3rd photo is very interesting with longitudinal striations.. If lucky, you should be able to match those striations to photos of the few possible candidate fauna in your hunting area since the miocene. Focus on one at a time: search the internet for "Hippo tusk" as an example.

 

Here is a Rhino tusk,  It does not look that similar... It has horizontal striations as do whale teeth..

 

My 1st search found this..

https://www.therockgallery.co.uk/hippopotamus-tooth---120000-years-old---norfolk-1770-p.asp

 

So, this tooth/tusk has longitudinal striations and was found in Norfork,  UK....

Maybe your find is Hippo

[Ivaldir]

Thank you for the insight. I already took similar steps and came to the same conclusion. Al I correct in that hard enamel on the outside of the tusk, let alone striations is not really typical for mammoth?

[Mahnmut]

Just booked my autumn vacation in Groede

[Shellseeker]

3 hours ago, Ivaldir said:

Thank you for the insight. I already took similar steps and came to the same conclusion. Al I correct in that hard enamel on the outside of the tusk, let alone striations is not really typical for mammoth?

Here is a chunk of polished mammoth tusk easily showing the Schreger lines and the outside "edge"

another

 

The outside edge is very thin,  lacks striations in most cases.  I believe that it is not 'enamel". A few Mammoth /Mastondon relatives have a distinctive band of enamel.

This photo clearly showing the band of enamel