MANATEES and DUGONGS

That's what I use to say before I got engaged

Sorry folks, He ran headlong through my screen and we couldnt shoot him without collateral damage. (Dave aint as quick on the draw as he used to was.)

Not sure if this will work for everyone, but this is pic of the rib bone of a dugong cut across.

Yup, I saw some for the first time up close and personal in downtown Bradenton. Prior to this I never thought about seeing one up close. I had a desire to do it at some point. I hope to go into a swim with them soon, too.

http://www.southfloridamuseum.org/TheAquarium.aspx

I tried to watch Snooty live, but apparently that's only possible during specified times during the weekend.
I shall return!

Interesting - do I see channels?

The two black marks on the left are not apparent on the right.

Polished up, there are no visible "channels" at all.

Clearly not at all like normal bone structure, and more like a plastic than bone, to cut, though the smell and lasting impression when cutting is that of a visit to the dentist.

Well, I'm no help. I was a Zoo/bacti major but never took Paleo. Curious, though.

The fact that there's no path for marrow is what puzzles me Osso.

Isn't marrow an important blood/platelet/white cell thing?

I'm a builder, of course, but curious about these things.

I'm curious too, but farmerman is sure and he knows his beeswax.

I don't think all bones have marrow, only the big bones. I'm not sure if ribs qualify.

Thanks Ceili.

Rib bones that I've chowed down on, including lamb ribs, which are quite small, compared to dugong ribs, do have marrow, and do have a brittle outer, just like human rib bones.

The makeup of this kind of bone is not like other bones you might have handled. It is not shiny at all. Like a dull, plastic feel and texture, right through the bone.

Unusual. If I could, I'd send you a sample.

Usually rib bones are a bit flat. The ossicles and other channels are visible when they cut the bone in a thin section and mount it in balwam. When you look at a dyed section at 3o microns you can best see the channels.

I agree that the ones you have look solid .
Are thee piles f dugongs that were kying there from aborigines killing them for food?

Heres a clip re "rare types of ivories". Dugong ivory from its tusks is included way down the list (Just before bear teeth , tiger teeth and walrus PENUS bones (apparently they consider this a form of ivory).
AS I saw , most all of the worlds ivory is tusk, and teeth. Here ya go, enjoy

http://www.australiangemmologist.com.au/images/rareivories.pdf

I cut this bone at the point where it connects to the breast-bone. It thins out, then gets thicker. I can cut it anywhere along the length, and I'll find the same consistency.

I had three German volunteer workers with me when I found out about the bones being ivory. Cut them in several ways for the volunteers to make trinkets, for the same results. It's a solid plasticky (for want of a better descriptor) substance.

Most bones I've handled are brittle, and hardened externally, with a softer centre. This substance is not like that at all. The closest un-natural substance I could equate this with for comparison, would be a nylon breadboard. Though not so white, of course. And a bit harder, but not brittle.

Would like to send you a sample.

Wonder if that's possible??

If you have a uni nearby with a geology lab?? They can cut a thin section and could be dyed for a look in cross section.

BTW, Im going by what the ivory experts are saying. MAybe youre using a localim where the local craftspeople call dugong bones "Ivory".
We have several artists who carve folk art from cow bones. They call their stuff Barnyard Ivory.

I once made a replacement handle for one of my camping knives out of mammoth ivory. I found the mammoth ivory at a site in Alaska when we were doing some work up there. I cut it in the shape of my knife's "Deer antler" handles (I used the deer antler hndle as pattern) and then polished it down with aForedom tool and mounted it in the knife. I still have the knife and I pincarved some scrimshaw in a primitive folk manner. Then I rubbed India ink into the scrimshaw and wiped off the rest. Polished and lacquered it looked great. I have it in a cabinet now.

What ya going to do with your samples? Id make something maybe a netsuke or some aboriginal effigy?