Elephant the Animal and Its Ivory in African Culture

Forensic identification of elephant and giraffe hair artifacts using HATR FTIR spectroscopy and discriminant analysis

“…They have also been noted in markets in Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria and Senegal (Courouble et al 2003). In Ghana, elephant-tail flywhisks are associated with Akan royalty, while elephant tails in general are associated with leadership in several parts of Africa (Ross 1992). Among the Asante of Africa, elephant tails are considered a symbol of wealth (Wilks 1979).…”

Romance, reverence, research, rights: Writing about elephant hunting and management in southern Africa, c.1830s to 2008

“…Modern Western writing about elephants generally does not extol the beauty of ivory, perhaps because the demand for ivory is the principal reason why many people in the Western world are mourning the diminution of elephant numbers and, as such, it might seem irresponsible, let alone politically incorrect, to harp on ivory's aesthetic beauty and the satisfaction of ownership. Nonetheless, for more than 10 000 years the 'subtle glowing colour and sensual surface' of ivory has ensured its prominent position among the luxury goods of the world (Luxmoore 1991;Ross 1992). …”