This carved chain of walrus ivory consists of thirteen plaques, pierced with rosettes. Each plaque is united to the next by eight chains of small circular links. It is probably made in Russia in Archangel. There are also connections with Russian ivories made in Archangel: the medallions seen here also bear comparisons with other decorative forms on items produced there. Russia has a long tradition of ivory carving, going back to at least the twelfth century. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries Moscow and the Russian Court were important centres of artistic patronage, which included commissioning works in ivory. The few Russian ivories in the V&A collection are dominated by those from Cholmogory, near Archangel, in North East Russia. Here a tradition of making decorative objects in walrus ivory, such as caskets and jewellery, grew up in the nineteenth century.