File:Probably Roman, pierced boar's tusk amulet (FindID 85150).jpg

English: Worked boar or pig tusk, probably from the Roman period. This tusk has been damaged and is now split approximately a third of the way along its curve from the hollow blunt end. A fragment of the tusk has sheared away at the pointed tip and is now missing. A further fragment has sheared from the middle of one side of the tusk, but the fragment remains separate with the tusk. The blunt, hollow end has been pierced to either side with a circular hole. This was presumably so that it could be strung in some form. One perforation is complete, but the other is damaged by a large crack that runs through it onto the body of the tusk. The tusk is C-shaped with a bottom heavy lozenge shaped section. It is 87.4mm in diameter from tip to end. It is 8.02mm wide at the blunt end, tapering to 2.5mm at the damaged tip. It weighs 6.98g. It has a creamy beige colour with grey patches.

Boars tusks were used as amulets by the Romans, as not only did they possess the properties of the boar but also represented the crescent moon which was associated with Diana, goddess of hunting, virginity and childbirth. The native Britons had also considered the boar sacred. Though the perforations on this tusk do not seem worn by a string or leather thong, it is fair to suggest it was probably intended as use as an amulet. A similar object can be seen in Crummy 1983, Figure 184, number 4332.