Ondanique of the Geog.  Text, Andaine of Pauthier’s, Andanicum of the Latin, is an expression on which no light has been thrown since Ramusio’s time.  The latter often asked the Persian merchants who visited Venice, and they all agreed in stating that it was a sort of steel of such surpassing value and excellence, that in the days of yore a man who possessed a mirror, or sword, of Andanic regarded it as he would some precious jewel.  This seems to me excellent evidence, and to give the true clue to the meaning of Ondanique.  I have retained the latter form because it points most distinctly to what I believe to be the real word, viz. Hundwaniy, “Indian Steel."[1] (See Johnson’s Pers.  Dict. and De Sacy’s Chrestomathie Arabe, II. 148.) In the Vocabulista Arabico, of about A.D. 1200 (Florence, 1871, p. 211), Hunduwan is explained by Ensis.  Vuellers explains Hundwan as “anything peculiar to India, especially swords,” and quotes from Firdusi, “Khanjar-i-Hundwan,” a hanger of Indian steel.

The like expression appears in the quotation from Edrisi below as Hindiah, and found its way into Spanish in the shapes of Alhinde, Alfinde, Alinde, first with the meaning of steel, then assuming, that of steel mirror, and finally that of metallic foil of a glass mirror.  (See Dozy and Engelmann, 2d ed. pp. 144-145.) Hint or Al-hint is used in Berber also for steel. (See J.  R. A. S. IX. 255.)

The sword-blades of India had a great fame over the East, and Indian steel, according to esteemed authorities, continued to be imported into Persia till days quite recent.  Its fame goes back to very old times.  Ctesias mentions two wonderful swords of such material that he got from the king of Persia and his mother.  It is perhaps the ferrum candidum of which the Malli and Oxydracae sent a 100 talents weight as a present to Alexander.[2] Indian Iron and Steel ([Greek:  sidaeros Indikos kai stomoma]) are mentioned in the Periplus as imports into the Abyssinian ports. Ferrum Indicum appears (at least according to one reading) among the Oriental species subject to duty in the Law of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus on that matter.  Salmasius notes that among surviving Greek chemical treatises there was one [Greek:  peri baphaes Indikou sidaerou], “On the Tempering of Indian Steel.”  Edrisi says on this subject:  “The Hindus excel in the manufacture of iron, and in the preparation of those ingredients along with which it is fused to obtain that kind of soft Iron which is usually styled Indian Steel (HINDIAH).[3] They also have workshops wherein are forged the most famous sabres in the world....  It is impossible to find anything to surpass the edge that you get from Indian Steel (al-hadid al-Hindi).”