Meaning of Ivory????

Question

What's the meaning of Ivory?

Answer 1

Ivory is a hard, white, opaque substance that is the bulk of the teeth and tusks of animals such as the elephant, hippopotamus, walrus, mammoth, narwhal, etc. Prior to the introduction of plastics, it was used for billiard balls, piano keys, bagpipes, buttons and ornamental items. The word "ivory" was traditionally applied to the tusks of elephants; in fact, the word is ultimately from Ancient Egyptian âb, âbu "elephant". Plastics have been viewed by piano purists as an inferior ivory substitute on piano keys, although other recently developed materials more closely resemble the feel of real ivory.

The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals is the same regardless of the species of origin, and the trade in certain teeth and tusks other than elephant is well established and widespread. Therefore, "ivory" can correctly be used to describe any mammalian teeth or tusks of commercial interest which is large enough to be carved or scrimshawed.

Types of ivory

- Elephant and mammoth ivory from the tusks of bull elephants and mammoths.
- Walrus ivory from the tusks of a bull walrus.
- Sperm Whale and Killer Whale ivory
- Narwhal ivory
- Hippopotamus ivory
- Warthog ivory
- Elk Ivory from the bugling teeth of bull elk.

So-called hornbill ivory, derived from a bird, is not true ivory but resembles it in some ways.

Due to the rapid decline in the populations of the animals that produce it, the importation and sale of ivory in many countries is banned or severely restricted. Much of the decline in population is due to poachers during and before the 1980s. Since the worldwide ivory trade ban in 1989 there have been ups and downs in elephant populations, and ivory trade as bans have been placed and lifted. Many African countries including Zimbabwe, Namibia and Botswana claim that ivory trade is necessary—both to stimulate their economies and reduce elephant populations which are allegedly harming the environment. A 1999 study done by Oxford University found that less than one percent of the five-hundred million US dollars ivory sales generated ever reach Africans; most of it goes to middlemen and vendors. However, in 2002 the United Nations partially lifted the ban on ivory trade, allowing a few countries to export certain amounts of ivory. The effectiveness of the policy is in question, in light of the study preceding the ban, and an updated study would be needed to evaluate the current state of the ivory trade.

Kenya, which saw its elephant populations plummet in the decade preceding the 1989 ban, claims that legalizing ivory trade anywhere in Africa will endanger elephants everywhere in Africa as poachers would attempt to launder their illegal ivory with legal stockpiles.

The 2006 Zakouma elephant slaughter in Chad is one of a long series of massacres which have eliminated 97 percent of the original 300,000 African elephant population of Chad in only four decades.

The demand for ivory is primarily from the Japanese hanko industry. Hankos are small seals. Traditionally, these hankos were also made from other material. Ivory hankos were introduced only in the last century.

Trade in the ivory from the tusks of dead mammoths has occurred for 300 years and continues to be legal. Mammoth ivory is used today to make handcrafted knives and similar implements.

A species of hard nut is gaining popularity as a replacement for ivory, although its size limits its usability. It is sometimes called vegetable ivory, or tagua, and is the seed endosperm of the ivory nut palm commonly found in coastal rainforests of Ecuador , Peru and Colombia.

Answer 2

Ivory is a very valuable type of bone that comes from the elephant, walrus and the mammoth.
People have hunted them for there ivory tusk.
That is why they are all on the endangered list or are gone.

Answer 3

Ivory is elephant tusk and similar materials. It used to be used for piano keys and small decorative items. Since elephants have become protected, it's no longer used to make these things, though antique ivory is still commonly found.

Ivory is also used as a name for its color, like peach and wine commonly are.

Answer 4

Ivory is a material from elephant tusks.it is known to be very precious.elephants are either killed for it or their tusks r removed from them.it is a very painful process wich the elephant has to suffer coz it cant talk.

Ivory is a very valuable type of bone that comes from the elephant, walrus and the mammoth.

it is used to make billiard balls, piano keys, bagpipes, buttons and ornamental items.

Answer 5

Ivory is a material from elephant tusks.Ivory is a very valuable type of bone that comes from the elephant, walrus and the mammoth.

it is used to make billiard balls, piano keys, bagpipes, buttons and ornamental items

Answer 6

Ivory is a material from elephant tusks (ever heard about elephants killed for their tusks in Africa? The maening of ivory is the form of material dreived from the tusk of an elephant.

Answer 7

Playing the piano. The keys were originally made of ebony and ivory