Ivory vs. Bone

Main Difference

The main difference between Ivory and Bone is that Ivory is a hard material that can be obtained from the tusks and teeth of animals, whereas Bone is a rigid organ that makes the skeleton of the animals.

Difference Between Ivory and Bone

Comparison Chart

Ivory vs. Bone

Ivory is the dead material that is obtained from the teeth and tusk of the animals. On the other side, bone is the rigid organ that is a part of the skeletal system of animals.

Mostly ivory is the tusk of the elephants and teeth of seals. Moreover, other real ivories are obtained from hippopotamus, mastodon, mammoth, and wild boar. Ivory is made up of dead cells, whereas bone is made up of the different types of bone cells that are involved in different functions.

While observing under the microscope or a magnifying glass, there are fine lines on the ivory that may be in the form of cross-hatched lines or circular rings. On the other side, there are no lines, but tiny pores are present in bones. These pores are actually residues of blood vessels that were flowing through the bones.

Ivory has a harder and denser structure. On the flip side, bone is less dense. Because of its rigidity, ivory is more resistant to scratches. On the flip side, as the bone is less rigid than ivory, so, it is less resistant to scratches. Generally, ivory has more weight than bones. Moreover, ivory has a smooth and shiny structure. On the other side, bone has a rough and dry structure.

Broken parts of ivory can be glued together easily due to its smooth and shiny structure. On the flip side, broken parts of the bone cannot be glued together due to its dry and coarse structure. There are fake ivories present in the market that are made by using powdered ivory or bones etc. These fake ivories can be tested or identified by hot pin tests or blacklight tests etc. On the other side, bones are used to form false ivory.

Ivory is used in artwork, precious religious objects, white of the eyes of statues, and decorative boxes for costly objects, etc. On the flip side, bones are used to protect different organs of the body. They are also used in artwork and many other household items.

What is Ivory?

A creamy white dead substance that is obtained from the teeth and tusk of the animals is known as ivory. It is derived from the ancient Egyptian word âb, âbu, i.e., “elephant” and through the Latin word ebor- or ebur.

It is a type of bony tissue that is known as dentine. It is obtained from incisors or elongated front teeth that extend outside the mouth of a mammal, e.g., walruses, hippopotamus, mammoths, elephants, and other animals. Ivory is made up of dead cells.

Ivory has a harder and denser structure due to which it is more resistant to scratches. It has more weight and a smooth and shiny structure. Moreover, any broken part of ivory can be glued easily due to its smooth and shiny structure. While observing under a microscope or a magnifying glass, there are fine lines on the ivory that may be in the form of cross-hatched lines or circular rings.

Ivory is an important item in artwork and used to make many important decorative and household items. It is used to make precious religious objects, white of the eyes of statues, piano keys, billiard balls, and decorative boxes for costly objects, etc.

Because of the commercial value of ivory, its products have become widespread over the years. However, there are different laws implanted in different countries to obtain ivory from endangered species. The Asiatic elephants provide much white and denser ivory than the African elephant tusks. Moreover, the Asiatic ivory is very soft and is best for carvings.

Nowadays, ivory imitations are also present in the market. They are made by using powdered ivory or bones etc. These fake ivories can be tested or identified by hot pin tests or blacklight tests etc. In the hot pin test, a pin is heated to red hot and tried to pierce it into the ivory. In case of fake ivory, the pin will pierce through it. So this simple test can be used to identify the real ivory.

What is Bone?

Bone is a rigid organ that makes the skeleton of the animal. It is derived from a Greek word ὀστέον or “osteon,” which is also used as a prefix for each term that is related to bone. It is the connective tissue that forms the skeleton of the vertebrates.

Bone is made up of different types of bone cells, i.e., osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts, etc. Osteoblasts and osteocytes play their role in the formation and mineralization of bones, whereas; osteocytes perform resorption of bones. Moreover, it has many inorganic mineral substances and organic matrix.

Bone has a less dense structure. It is less rigid than ivory, so it is less resistant to scratches. Bone has less weight and has a rough and dry structure. Broken parts of the bone cannot be glued together due to its dry and coarse structure. While observing under the microscope or a magnifying glass, tiny black or brown pores are present in bones. These pores are actually residues of blood vessels that were flowing through the bones.

Bones are used to protecting different organs of the body. They are also used in artwork and many other household items. Moreover, bone carving has become dominant nowadays. It is also used to form fake ivory. If a bone is exposed to excess heat, it will smoke out.

Conclusion

The above discussion summarizes that Ivory is a dead creamy white material that is obtained from the teeth and tusk of the animals and used in artwork etc. On the other side, Bone is an organ of the skeletal system of many vertebrates that provides support to different organs and also used in the artwork.