Siberian WMT Bar Earring Pair

Ancient mammoth has been treasured by humankind for millennia — carved, sculpted, and worn since long before recorded history. This tusk material comes from woolly mammoths that roamed Siberia tens of thousands of years ago, emerging from the permafrost as the ice thaws. Once recovered, this is carefully cleaned and then dried for several years under controlled conditions in Germany, slowly acclimating to the moisture in the air so the surface settles without cracking. The result is material prized for its clean, consistent tone — a bright, even cream to soft ivory color with far less mineral staining than other regions typically show, though the same striking "herringbone" Schreger Line patterns can still appear within the grain. Proboscidean ivory is identified by these Schreger Lines, visible in cross-section as spirals running clockwise and counter-clockwise over one another to form a star-like pattern. Acute angles at the star's points confirm ancient fossil ivory — mammoth or mastodon — which is legal to buy and sell. Obtuse angles indicate modern elephant ivory, which is not. This material will be invoiced as "WMT Cabochon" due to archaic payment-processor restrictions. It is 100% legal in the United States. International customers should confirm their local customs and import regulations before purchasing — we are not responsible for material that isn't legal to import into your country.