This is a record of whale bone monuments in Angola, The Gambia, Madagascar, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Réunion, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Kazakhstan, and the Russian Federation (east of the Urals).
It is the eighth, and final, volume in a series about the practical and decorative uses to which the huge skulls, jawbones, shoulder blades, vertebrae and ribs of the blue, sei, fin, right, minke and sperm whales have been put, from early times to the present day, in countries around the world. It brings together the many historical and modern references on the subject which the author has collected over the years. His information has been derived from all the usual sources – antiquarian and historical accounts, the journals of learned societies, engravings, paintings, drawings and photographs, newspapers, letters, diaries, directories, books, poems; and the recollections, memories and records of many individuals.