Ivory handled Newstead spatha

[XorX]

It should be easy to find out if they also used walrus... it also has no Schreger-lines
The organic/ bone/ etc. handles I`ve seen so far in original ( which are not many ad: ) are made of wood or elephant ivory

[Robert Vermaat]

Walrus teeth are very small compared to elephant tusks and the Romans would have to trade for them with the Inuit of the far North.

I agree about the size and therefore the probably availability, but the Romans surely did not need tradelinks with the Inuit! Walrus was far more common in those days, and could be found on the shores of Scotaland and Ireland, and perhaps they visited some Roman shores as well. Besides, there were always traders inbetween.

Sorry guys, but common sense dictates Romans got their ivory from Africa, along with lions, leopards and all sorts of fancy beasts. Ivory was a commonly traded commodety as has been throughout the ages till in de 1970 someone decided hunting the elephant to extinction may not be a very good idea.

We agree there, ivory from African elephants would be far more likely that mamoth.

Although I still think that the Romans used unicorn ivory.

[Robert]

Did you know there actually is such a thing? Only the ivory in question derives from the narwhal http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narwhal . The long spiral tusk is a real beauty in its own right and because way back then people did not know it's source, give rise to the mythe of the unicorn.