Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

roanoa · 11th May 2009, 01:00 AM

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?

11th May 2009, 01:00 AM	#1
roanoa Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 230	Giraffe horn???? 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?