Arakh

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Khal Drogo wielding his arakh, by Chris Dien © Fantasy Flight Games

An arakh is a sword commonly used by the Dothraki. It is shaped half like a sword and half like a scythe.[1]

Culture

Arakhs can be sharpened with whetsones[2] and rubbed down with red oil.[3] There are a handful of arakhs made of Valyrian steel.[4]

Blades like the arakh are forbidden in Vaes Dothrak.[5]

Recent Events

A Game of Thrones

Bloodrider's arakh, by Tomasz Jedruszek © Fantasy Flight Games

During her wedding celebration, Daenerys Targaryen watches two Dothraki duel with arakhs over a woman.[1] Cohollo gives Daenerys a magnificent arakh chased in gold.[1]

After a Dothraki warrior insults Ser Jorah Mormont for wearing Westerosi armor, the pair fight with longsword and arakh; the knight slays the Dothraki.[6] The khalasars of Khals Drogo and Ogo clash, and Drogo loses a nipple to an arakh slice by one of Ogo's bloodriders.[6] Daenerys asks Mirri Maz Duur to save Drogo's life, but Drogo's bloodriders attempt to halt the maegi's ceremony. Qotho's arakh cuts through Jorah's chainmail to his hip but catches on the knight's bone, allowing Jorah to slay Qotho with his longsword.[7]

After Drogo dies, Daenerys includes his arakh among his possessions on a funeral pyre.[8] Daenerys gives to Rakharo the arakh she had received from Cohollo.[8] Daenerys emerges from the pyre with three hatched dragons, and Jhogo lays his arakh before her in homage.[8]

A Clash of Kings

Strong Belwas carries a long curving arakh.[9]

A Storm of Swords

Zollo, one of the Brave Companions, uses his arakh to chop off the sword hand of Ser Jaime Lannister.[10] Lord Beric Dondarrion kills an arakh-wielding Dothraki during the battle at the burning septry.[11]

Daario Naharis wields an arakh and a Myrish stiletto, the hilts of which are golden naked women.[12] Belwas kills Oznak zo Pahl with his arakh in single combat.[3]

A Dance with Dragons

During the siege of Astapor, Caggo strikes down the corpse of Cleon the Great with his black arakh of Valyrian steel.[4]

Ser Barristan Selmy, armored in plate and mail, defeats the arakh-wielding Khrazz.[13]

Quotes

She heard a shout, saw a shove, and in the blink of an eye the arakhs were out, long razor-sharp blades, half sword and half scythe. A dance of death began as the warriors circled and slashed, leaping toward each other, whirling the blades around their heads, shrieking insults at each clash.[1]

—thoughts of Daenerys Targaryen

Qotho danced backward, arakh whirling around his head in a shining blur, flickering out like lightning as the knight came on in a rush. Ser Jorah parried as best he could, but the slashes came so fast that it seemed to Dany that Qotho had four arakhs and as many arms.[7]

—thoughts of Daenerys Targaryen

The fat Dothraki put aside his knife to unsheathe a huge curved arakh, the wickedly sharp scythe-sword the horselords loved.[10]

—thoughts of Jaime Lannister

A slasher's sword, made to deliver deep, slicing cuts from horseback. A murderous blade against half-naked foes, in the pit or on the battlefield. But here at close quarters, the arakh's length would tell against it, and Barristan Selmy was clad in plate and mail.[13]

—thoughts of Barristan Selmy

Notes

An arakh in Game of Thrones

According to a representative of Valyrian Steel, the arakhs used in the HBO adaptation Game of Thrones are similar to khopeshes. In A Song of Ice and Fire, however, arakhs are more like scimitars.[14]

See Also

References