Proposal for the manufacturing process: from the tusk to the ivory artifact of the Mammuthus columbi of The Cedral, San Luis Potosí

Abstract

Ivory has been used by humans since prehistoric times as raw material for the elaboration of ornamental objects and artifacts both in the old continent and in North America. The present investigation was carried out with ivory materials from Rancho Carabanchel, Cedral, San Luis Potosí, this study had the objective of proposing a model on the manufacture of Mammuthus columbi ivory, in which on used four ivory artifacts. The methodology included characterization of the species, using comparative bibliography and information from the "Schreger lines"; description of the objects, manufacturing footprint, use-wear and technological report. The results obtained allowed the recognition of raw material, type of object, identification of manufacturing processes and traces of use, being one of the first investigations in which the manufacture of mammoth ivory in Mexico was discovered.