tusk mortise & tenon

Developed centuries ago, this joint was used in furniture designed to be disassembled before the invention of mechanical fasteners. An elegant, yet simple way to join two perpendicular surfaces. An angled mortise on the end of the tenon piece mates with a tusk, or wedge that locks it tightly against the main mortise structure. On a much larger scale, this joint can be found in timber frame construction.