User Contributed Dictionary
Pronunciation
/ˈaɪvəri:z/ (UK & US)Noun
ivoriesRelated terms
Extensive Definition
Ivory carving is the ornamentation of ivory by using sharp cutting
tools, either mechanically or manually.
Humans have ornamentally carved ivory since
prehistoric times,
and much of the prehistoric work reveals information about the use
of tools during the carving's time period. The ivory figure of
Khufu, for the builder of the Great
Pyramid, is considered a masterpiece. Ivory carvings have been
discovered in the tombs of ancient Chinese rulers. Since
the late Roman era ivory
has been a popular medium for Christian
art. Many boxes, that held religious relics, or costly jewelry
were made of ivory. The ivory was usually obtained from the tusks
of live elephants in India, and in Roman times, from North Africa.
Ivory harvesting led to the extinction, or near-extinction of
elephants in much of their former range.
Late Roman ivory diptychs were issued by the
consuls, civil officers
who played an important administrative role until 541. Consular
diptychs consisted two carved panels joined by hinges with the
image of the consul. Religious diptychs were similar but with the
images of Christ and the Theotokos. The
laters presumably stood on the altars during liturgy.
Such ivory panels were used as book-covers from
the 6th century. It was necessary to assemble such covers from
usually five smaller panels because of the limited width of the
tusk. This assembly suggested a compositional arrangement with
Christ or Mary in the centre and angels, apostles and saints in the
flanking panels. Carved ivory covers were used only for the most
precious religious books.
The most important Late Antique work of art made
of ivory is the Throne
of Maximianus. The cathedra of Maximianus,
bishop of Ravenna (546-556),
was constructed entirely of ivory panels. It was probably carved in
Constantinople
and shipped to Ravenna. It consists of decorative floral panels
framing various figured panels, including one with the complex
monogram of the bishop.
Typical Byzantine ivory works after the Iconoclastic
period were triptychs. The most remarkable example is the
Harbaville
Triptych from the 10th century with many figurative panels.
Such Byzantine triptychs could only have been used for private
devotion because of their relatively small size. Another famous
10th century ivory triptych is the Borradaile
Triptych with only one central image (the Crucifixion). The
Romanos
Ivory is similar to the religious triptychs but its central
panel shows Christ crowning Emperor Romanos and Empress Eudokia.
There are different theories about which Byzantine ruler was made
for the triptych. One possible solution is Romanos II
that gives the date of production between 944 and 949.
Most Byzantine ivories were gilded and coloured
but only scant traces survived of their surface colouring. It seems
that ivory carving declined or totally disappeared in Byzantium
after the 12th century.
Much of ivory carved in the last 200 years has
been for East Asian jewelry and ethnic crafts. Large amounts of
ivory continues to be consumed for East Asian traditional art and
ethnic hand stamp dies, even in the face of near-extinction of
African and Asian elephants.
Ivory has been gradually replaced by plastics in
key commercial application such as piano
keys.
Very little ivory carving is done in the United
States since the middle 20th century, as a result of extinction
concerns.
Historical sources of ivory for carving
listed in order of importance- Elephant ivory from recently killed animals
- Prehistoric mammoth ivory traded from Siberia
- Sperm Whale teeth, usually left intact as scrimshaw
- Walrus tusks (e.g., Kholmogory carving techniques)
External links
ivories in German:
Elfenbeinschnitzerei
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
alveolar ridge, bird cage, bones, bridgework, choir, claviature, console, crap game, crap
shooting, craps, crooked
dice, cubes, dental
bridge, dentition,
denture, dice, die, echo, eighty-eight, false teeth,
fingerboard,
great, gums, keyboard, keys, loaded dice, manual, organ manual, pedals, periodontal tissue, piano
keys, plate, poker dice,
set of teeth, solo,
swell, teeth, uppers and
lowers