[An elephant tusk with a spear injury]

This tusk specimen contains a metal spear with a wooden component, which is surrounded by a quiver-like osseous encasement. The injury was probably caused by a drop-spear trap. The spear entered the tusk through the base of the pulp. The osseous encasement is constructed by pulpocytes which turned to odontoblasts after stimulation and are responsible for the development of secondary dentine. Secondary dentine is characterized by its irregular arrangement of dentine tubules, in contrast to those of true ivory.