Narwhal Tusk
(Monodon monoceros)

Captain George William Manby gave a Narwhal tusk to the museum in 1825 - which makes it one of the first objects ever to be given to the museum! It is possible that Manby got his Sea Unicorn Horn whilst on a whaling expedition off Greenland in 1821.

Narwhals are only found in Arctic waters (rarely South of latitude 70°N). Male Narwhals have a single, long tusk – which is an incisor tooth normally from the left side of the upper jaw. These tusks can be 3 metres (nearly 10 feet) in length and weigh up to 10 kg (22 lbs). Rarely, (about ¹/₅₀₀) a male will grow two tusks. In extremely rare cases female Narwhals may also grow a tusk.

The purpose of Narwhal tusks has been the subject of much debate – with suggestions ranging from acting as an ice-breaker, to a channel for echolocation waves. Although we don’t know for sure, a likely explanation for the tusks is that they play a role in dominance displays between males. Another function for the tusks may be something to do with sensory perception; as there are millions of tiny tubules extending in from the tusks’ surface which can only be seen under an electron microscope. These tubules may be useful in detecting water pressure, salinity or temperature.

Eskimo people have a legend that says Narwhals were created when a woman was hunting a Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas) with a harpoon, but she was pulled into the sea and twisted around her harpoon and the whale - fusing the whale, woman and the harpoon together to make the first Narwhal.

The Vikings believed Narwhal tusks had magical powers and bought and traded the tusks for more than their weight in gold. Narwhal tusks were also used to make drinking cups thought to neutralize the effects of any poison.

In Medieval Europe it was widely believed that Narwhal tusks were actually the horns of Unicorns. However, by the early 15^th Century, explorers began to visit the Arctic, returning home with stories of large fish with horns on their heads! By 1638 the Danish physician and zoologist, Ole Wurm gave a scientific lecture about the Narwhal and its tusks; finally disproving stories of the tusks coming from Unicorns.