Painted Whale's Earbone

These are whale's earbones, also known as a tympanium. One has been hand-painted to look like somebody's face. It was probably made by a Scottish or Scandinavian person involved in the 20th century whaling trade. Whaling became more modernised and efficient in the 1900s. After it had been killed, most of a dead whale's body was used to make money in contrast to earlier, more wasteful methods. Modern methods meant that difficult to reach bones like this became more available for painting.