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What subjects did Magdalenian artists engrave on ivory?
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ivory carving
Kinugumiut Inupiat incised walrus ivory shaman's figure, c. 1890; in the National Museum of the American Indian, George Gustav Heye Center, Smithsonian Institution, New York City.
Magdalenian artists primarily engraved animals on ivory and other materials like bone and reindeer horn. These engravings were often rendered in a masterly manner, frequently depicting two or more animals together to form recognizable scenes.12
While earlier Paleolithic periods featured small, nude female figures, the artistic focus shifted during the Magdalenian period toward these detailed animal representations. These works are noted for their striking naturalism and delicate craftsmanship, representing a climax in the development of small-scale prehistoric art.21