scrimshaw
nounUK /ˈskrɪmʃɔː/
US /ˈskrɪmʃɔː/
Scrimshaw is carved or scratched art made on whale bones or tusks.
The sailor spent long evenings making scrimshaw from a whale's tooth.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. The art or practice of carving designs into bone or ivory.
He learned scrimshaw during his years at sea.
3. To decorate a surface by scratching and filling the lines with color.
She scrimshawed a tiny ship onto the polished tooth.
4. Small decorative objects made by this kind of carving.
The museum displayed scrimshaw from the 1800s.