Elephant tusks stood on the ancestral altars in the courtyards of the royal palace either in the metal memorial heads (which have a suitable opening at the top) or in such holders / feet. The Frenchman Landolphe reported in the 18th century of over 3,000 large tusks in the palace. In 1897, 130 were found on the 13 ancestral altars of the residence and stolen. Since 1651, however, Europeans have also reported appropriately constructed ancestral altars in wealthy burghers' houses. With the help of these holders, the tusks could be placed vertically, representing the world axis connecting the earthly sphere with the otherworldly one in heaven. Text: Dietmar Neitzke.