Where do shofars come from?
Traditional ram’s horn shofars are made from the horns of sheep while Yemenite shofars are made from the horns of kudu antelope. Kudu are found almost exclusively in eastern and southern Africa. These true horns, unlike the antlers of deer, have a bony core that is actually an extension of one of the bones of the animal’s skull. The specialized layer of skin that covers this core of bone contains the protein keratin that makes the horn, and later the shofar, extremely tough and durable. No two animal horns look alike and no two shofars sound exactly the same. As the ram and kudu grow older, their horns get larger and become more and more twisted into a curve or even a spiral, especially with rams. Horns of older rams often form two or three complete loops. Larger ram’s horn shofars are more difficult to get today due to widespread animal diseases and stringent veterinary requirements of the Israel Health Ministry which oversees their import. Types of shofars: Classic twisted ram’s horn
