Origin of this dagger?

kai · 1st November 2012, 12:50 AM

While sound experience often gives a quite ok answer within seconds, I agree that serious examination up to scientific standards would be preferable; DNA sequencing may even narrow down the origin (of the material if not the whole piece).

Regarding marine ivory, I guess that many pieces believed to be Dugong are much more likely sperm whale; the latter have been regularly caught throughout the archipelago and a single whale yields a lot of teeth while obtaining a really large male dugong seems less straightforward...

Regards,
Kai

1st November 2012, 12:50 AM	#13
kai Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,255	While sound experience often gives a quite ok answer within seconds, I agree that serious examination up to scientific standards would be preferable; DNA sequencing may even narrow down the origin (of the material if not the whole piece). Regarding marine ivory, I guess that many pieces believed to be Dugong are much more likely sperm whale; the latter have been regularly caught throughout the archipelago and a single whale yields a lot of teeth while obtaining a really large male dugong seems less straightforward... Regards, Kai