Miloserdov D. Y. (2020). Osobennosti opredelenija materiala rukojatej vostochnogo klinkovogo oruzhija, a takzhe hudozhestvennyh i dekorativno-prikladnyh izdelij, izgotovlennyh iz roga nosoroga [Specifity of Identification of the Materials, Used for Oriental Edged Weapons Handles Manufacturing, as well as Pieces of Applied Arts, Made of Rhinoceros Horn]. Istoricheskoe oruzhievedenie [Weapons History Journal], № 8, pp. 135 — 150.

Miloserdov D. Y.

Abstract: The article actualizes the problem of correct identification and distinguishing of osteological materials, used for manufacturing of different pieces of applied arts, including the handles of edged weapons. The author states these materials to be often described as just “horn”, though horns of different mammals were used.

The most complex the problem is with the describing of the objects made of the horn of the rhinoceros. It causes not only mistakes in museum descriptions, but also more serious aftereffects, concerning the definition of insurance value of the objects transported and exhibited. The opposite problem appears when pieces made of other mammals’ horns are attributed as the ones manufactured of the horn of the rhinoceros, because of the similarity of horns with the transparent and stratose texture, peculiar to the rhinoceros one.

The author provides the main discriminant marks for identification of pieces made of the horn of the rhinoceros and points to the features of this material.

Keywords: handles, material, horn, the horn of the rhinoceros.

Category: Articles

Received: February 21, 2020 Accepted: March 3, 2020 Published: March 22, 2020

License: Copyright © 2020 The Author, The Center of Support and Development of Actual Research in the Field of Historical Weaponry (АНО «Центр поддержки и развития актуальных исследований в области Исторического оружиеведения»). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons CC-BY license (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.