TO BE ABLE TO GUESS APPROXIMATE AGE FROM THE AMOUNT OF PATINATION ON IVORY IS VERY DIFFICULT EVEN WITH YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. IVORY CAN ALSO BE STAINED AND ANTIQUED BY SOAKING IT IN VARIOUS CONCOCTIONS WHICH IS EASIER TO DETECT IF YOU HAVE SEEN IT DONE OR SEEN SEVERAL ITEMS PERSONALLY. LONG EXPOSURE TO THE SUN AND DRY AREAS WILL TEND TO BLEACH AND CRACK IVORY AND A CHALKY LAYER WILL FORM ON THE OUTSIDE. IVORY THAT HAS BEEN BURIED IN THE GROUND "A COMMON PRACTICE IN AFRICA" TENDS TO DARKEN DEPENDING ON SOIL TYPE, THE MOISTURE IN THE AREA AND THE AMOUNT OF TIME BURRIED. IVORY WAS CACHED AND BURIED AND LEFT WHILE THEY PURSUED MORE ELEPHANTS AND CARRIED OUT LATER. THE OILS IN HUMAN SKIN CAUSE THE IVORY TO GET THE YELLOWISH AND LATER NICE ORANGE PATINA COMMON ON OLD IVORY BRACELETS AND KNIFE HANDLES. I SUSPECT CONTACT WITH BLOOD OR ANIMAL GREASE WOULD ALSO STAIN IVORY. VARIOUS IVORYS MAY PATINATE AT DIFFERENT RATES OR ATTAIN DIFFERENT COLORS BUT I CAN'T HELP THERE AS MY KNOWLEGE IS LIMITED.
THERE ARE SOME OLD POSTS ON IVORY AND BOOKS ON IVORY YOU MIGHT SEARCH FOR. GOOD LUCK
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