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#1 |
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Ever so often I see Ethiopian swords with a hilt that is advertised as GIRAFFE HORN. I have serious doubts that such a thing exists. As far as I know, prehistoric giraffes had "horns" (antlers, really) that resembled that of a moose. Antlers, as we know, are attached to boney bases that are part of the skull. The giraffes as we now know them, have boney growths of the skull that are not horns at all and may be a left over from the time when they did have antlers. I have asked a friend (Kenyan born and raised, professional hunter and, at a time, game warden) about it and he was puzzled by my question. Those protusions look like horns, but they are bone and part of the skull. How can anyone make an "amber translucent fibrous" sword handle out of it? I have to admit that I have never seen a giraffe skull, so I do not want to come to the wrong conclusion. I simply wish to get to the bottom of this myth....
Comments, anyone? |
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#2 |
Keris forum moderator
Join Date: Aug 2006
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Here you go.
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#3 |
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I think what is advertised as " Giraffe Horn" may be actually giraffe's hoof.
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#4 |
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BTW, are hooves from other animals used in swordmaking?
Last edited by ariel; 11th May 2009 at 02:19 AM. |
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#5 |
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#6 |
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I am talking about the amber-colored stuff on some jambiyas, not slabs of bone.
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#7 |
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Ariel
This hoof seems black in color so I can't understand how an amber color hilt would come out of it? |
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#8 |
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There are some discussions about Giraffe bone in this thread: link
Also, Giraffe bone has been known to be used on Ottoman handles. Here is example of one. I've seen it being sold in slabs out of Africa, and it does have an amberish tone. |
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#9 |
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I still think this amber translucent material is a form of cattle horn which would be more readily available than giraffe hoofs.
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#10 |
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Well, seems I know neither hoof nor horn about hooves and horns.
No bones about it... Last edited by ariel; 11th May 2009 at 04:54 PM. |
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#11 |
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IM NOT A GIRAFFE EXPERT BUT DO KNOW A LITTLE THE HOOVES ARE OFTEN 17 INCHES DIAMETER OR LONG? AND SOMETIMES LARGER ON AN ADULT. IT IS SAID CROCODILES GET OUT OF THE WAY WHEN THEY COME TO DRINK AS THEY CAN BREAK A CROC'S BACK. THEY WOULD CERTIANLY BE THICK AND HEAVY ENOUGH GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE HOOF AND ANIMAL AND WOULD HAVE TO BE VERY STRONG GIVEN THE WAY A GIRAFFE RUNS. THE HOOF LIKE THE HORN HAS A BONE CORE WITH A HORN LIKE COVER AS DO OTHER HOOFED ANIMALS.
ANIMALS WITH HORNS USUALLY HAVE A HORN CORE OF BONE AND A SHETH OR COVERING OVER THAT WHICH IS THE PART WE CALL HORN. PERHAPS THE GIRAFFE HAS A HORN COVERING FOR ITS HORNS? NEXT TIME I GO TO THE ZOO I WILL FIND OUT. I HAVE SOME HANDLES OF THIS STRANGE MATERIAL AND IT IS DIFFERENT FROM ANY OTHER HORN TYPES I HAVE SEEN. I WILL DIG AROUND AND GET OUT THE OLD MICROSCOPE AND SEE IF ANYTHING CAN BY LEARNED BY TAKEING A VERY CLOSE LOOK. |
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