Ivory is a calciferous (dental) substance, which according to chemists, falls somewhere between bone and horn. Obtained mostly from the tusks of elephants, the material is highly suitable for engraving and carving. Hence it has been since ancient times, a cherished medium of artistic expression. Despite the worldwide ban on trading in ivory products, old pieces are still much sought after.

India, with its large elephant population, has long been a centre of ivory work. Ivory carving, described as one of the noblest crafts by Vedic literature, is one of the oldest craft traditions in India, King Solomon of Biblical times is said to have bought Indian ivory and King Darius of Persia used ivory decorations in his palace in the 6^th century B.C. Along with muslin and frankincense, ivory ranked among the foremost products sourced from India by kings and courts of other countries in ancient times.

The use of ivory in crafts, in India, may be traced back to the Indus Valley civilisation (2300 – 750 B.C). In 1920 excavations in Sindh unearthed animal figurines, diverse ornaments for women’s hair, combs and buttons made of ivory. However, since the region did not have a native elephant population, evidently ivory was acquired from elsewhere for the manufacture of these artefacts.

Female figurines and dolls made of ivory dating from the 6^th century BC have been discovered at Champanagar in Bihar. Many fine specimens made of ivory and bone from the period 500 to 200 BC have also been found at Nagra and Maheshwar (Madhya Pradesh). An ivory statue pertaining to the 600 – 200 BC period has been found in Gujarat. Ivory works of the same period have also been found at Ropar in the Punjab. Stone inscriptions found in the vicinity of the ruins of the Sanchi Stupa (Madhya Pradesh), speak of the flourishing trade in ivory crafts that used to take place at Bidisha (modern Madhya Pradesh) in the 1^st century BC. During the Sunga rule (185 BC – 78 BC), ivory craftsmen were engaged to work on the gates of the stupas at Bharhut, Sanchi (both in Madhya Pradesh) and Bodhgaya (modern Bihar). Ivory artefacts dating back to the Sunga period meant for ornamental and decorative purposes have also been found at Chandraketugarh in West Bengal. Ivory crafts were also popular during the Kushan period (1^st – 3^rd AD), as suggested by the abundance of ivory artefacts found at Taxila and Begram (modern Afghanistan). . In the beginning of the Middle Ages, ivory crafts flourished in Orissa. There the tusks of elephants were used mainly for making legs of thrones, furniture and temple decoration.

In Bangladesh (which was a part of India till 1947), the first evidence of ivory crafts were found in the district of Sylhet. The styles of ivory craft underwent some changes after the advent of the Muslims. Ivory continued to be used to make furniture legs, but it was also used to make penholders, back scratchers, hookah parts. Hilts of swords and daggers made of ivory were extremely popular. The Mughals greatly patronised this industry. The Mughal emperor Jahangir mentions in his autobiography that he had a number of ivory craftsmen in his permanent employ.

After the influx of European traders in India around the 16th century, ivory craftsmanship was greatly influenced by western art. The British frequently imported elephant tusks from their colonies in Africa to get different products fashioned by the talented Indian craftsmen for export to Europe. Tusks were also collected from tuskers found dead in the Indian jungles and from those maintained by the Indian princes and zamindars. During this time the craft flourished in Jaipur, Kerala, Mysore, Assam and Bengal.

Apart from elephant tusks, tusks and bones of other animals not native to the continent, such as the hippopotamus, walrus, narwhal (a whale with a long, twisted tooth, swims in Arctic waters. Narwhals can grow to be about five metres), dugongs (dugongs, or sea cows as they are sometimes called), can grow to about three metres in length and weigh as much as 400 kilograms. They are the only marine mammals in Australia that live mainly on plants. The name sea cow refers to the fact that they graze on the seagrasses, which form meadows in sheltered coastal waters), hornbills and whales were also carved and turned into artistic pieces.

The production methods of ivory are still primitive. Before starting work, the hollow part of the tusk is usually cleaned by boiling it with soda and calcium or by burying it underground for a few days. The crevices of the tusk are filled with liquid wax. Work is commenced only after the task is hard and dry. The artisan saws through a part of the tusk and then traces a design on it with a pencil. The engraving is done with the help of a chisel and a hammer.

Delicate work is done with the help of a stone pen while the perforations are done with a drill machine. After the piece has been carved, it is soaked in water. The work is smoothened with the help of sandpaper, ivory dust, fish scales, china clay and chalk powder. In Kerala, leaves of a certain tree are used to make the design smooth and bright. Although ivory has its own natural lustre, craftsmen are wont to use colour. The craftspeople of Harappa used black and red. Egyptians soaked the tusks in red, yellow, violet, green or black dyes.

Over the centuries, the list of popular ivory products has come to include billiard balls, perfume bottles, chessmen, paper knives, and trinket or pan boxes, jewellery items like beads, bead necklaces, bangles and rings.

The ivory carvers of Bengal, Jaipur and Delhi are known for their engraved models of 'ambari hathi' or processional elephant, bullock carts, caskets, book covers, sandals and palanquins. Orissa has had a tradition of offering ivory inlaid furniture to the Jagannath temple at Puri.

In Kerala and Karnataka, ivory is used for making miniature shrines with delicate pillars and intricate relief floral work, caskets depicting scenes from myths and legends, besides images of gods and goddesses, including Christian icons and symbols. This traditional craft is still flourishing well. Rajasthan is known for its ivory fans, centre pieces for the dining table, with ornately carved receptacles shaped as flowers and half-opened blossoms, the lids adorned with birds. Craftsmen of Gujarat specialized in carving exquisite human figures besides images of deities.

The ivory-inlaid and veneered furniture that used to be made in Vizagapatam (a.k.a Vishakhapatnam), India, in the 18^th and early 19^th centuries illustrate the swiftness with which furniture designs were transmitted from cosmopolitan centres to the colonial periphery at that time.

For more than three decades now, the government of India has imposed a ban on sale and purchase of ivory. Hence the profession of ivory craft has almost come to a standstill. The same craftsmen now work on bone. Consequently the artistic pieces possessed by affluent families and wealthy individuals have virtually become antiques, precious collector’s items, worth their own weight in gold!