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Title: Tagua Nuts
Medium: Digital Photography
Photographer: Aaron J. Greenblatt
Camera Type: Panasonic DMC-LZ7 Lumix 7.2 MP
Editing: Edited in PhotoShop 7.0 for color accuracy, size, and to apply copyright and border.

Location: Photograph taken at the 2007 Fall Bead Bonanza Show in Southfield, Michigan.

Description: These beads were for sale at the show. They are Tagua nuts which have been dyed, polished, and drilled.

About Tagua Nuts: The Tagua nut is an extremely hard nut that comes from the Ivory nut palm. Its endosperm can be carved and polished like ivory, making it a botanical alternative to elephant ivory and giving rise to the name "vegetable ivory." Before carving, the nut is covered with a brown, flaky skin and shaped like a small avocado. Tagua Nuts can be found in the rainforest, typically on the ground, where their outer skin is eaten by the various animals peopling the region.

The nuts' diameter ranges roughly from 4-8cm in diameter. Humanitarians and environmentalists can both appreciate it because its use stimulates the economies in South America, provides an alternative to cutting down rain forest for farming, and prevents elephants from being killed for their tusks.

Information Sources:
[link] (wikipedia - vegetable ivory)
[link] (wikipedia - tagua nuts)

Legal: Copyright © Aaron J. Greenblatt. All rights reserved. Commercial use prohibited. This image and commentary may not be used for any reason without expressed written consent.


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