FOURIER-TRANSFORM RAMAN-SPECTROSCOPY OF IVORY .2. SPECTROSCOPIC ANALYSIS AND ASSIGNMENTS

The FT-Raman spectra of African and Asian elephant and woolly mammoth ivory are reported and comprehensive molecular vibrational assignments are proposed. Since ivory is composed of proteinaceous collagen embed ded in an inorganic matrix of carbonated hydroxyapatite, the Raman spe ctrum of pure natural collagen recorded under similar conditions aids the identification of the vibrational modes. Several bands are identif ied which could be used for the Raman spectroscopic characterisation o f the mammalian ivories studied. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.