Picture of Zulfikar / Dhu’l-Faq ar?

[kronckew]

i worked for aramco in dhahran & other aramco sites for eight years & a bit back in the 80's. sadly never found a sword or blade i liked. most i saw were either in poor shape or recent blingy gold/silver dancing swords. i was not really collecting them then. was given this framed photo that originally hung in the engineering building as a going away present. the real somewhat bigger one hangs in my dining area now. i believe it was taken in the 50's. your grandpa may have seen it...



there were a few old-timers still there who remembered the good times...
the recession at the end of the 80's saw the end of most of the expats. including me.

[Jentayu]

I believed it's talismanic script. In the four smaller rounds from the top are the names of guarding angels - Jibril (Gabrael), Mikael (Michael), Israfiel and Israel. While 10 smaller rounds below them are names of major prophets - Adam, Noah, Abraham, Joseph, David, Jacob, Ishmael, Isaac, Jesus and Muhamad. I would tend to associate this talismanic script with Syiah as the picture of the mosque is typically a Shiah shrine / mosque.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by kronckew

there were a few old-timers still there who remembered the good times...
the recession at the end of the 80's saw the end of most of the expats. including me.

YES Sir, I was one among them
it was a blessed time of the Gods ...
I returned in the years 90th, for 3 years
but the atmosphere wasn't the same any more

à +

Dom

[laEspadaAncha]

Originally Posted by kronckew

i worked for aramco in dhahran & other aramco sites for eight years & a bit back in the 80's. sadly never found a sword or blade i liked. most i saw were either in poor shape or recent blingy gold/silver dancing swords. i was not really collecting them then. was given this framed photo that originally hung in the engineering building as a going away present. the real somewhat bigger one hangs in my dining area now. i believe it was taken in the 50's. your grandpa may have seen it...

I'm guessing he probably would have recognized it; it was a small fraternity back then... I can't remember how small my dad told me the total student population was there at the enclave, but I remember thinking it was so small it made the schoolhouse in Little House on the Prairie look like a state university by comparison.

[laEspadaAncha]

Thank you, Jose, Kronckew, AJNumbers, Jentayu, and Dom for your thoughts...

In particular, thank you Jentayu for the translation of the medallions.

I am still awfully curious to hear your collective thoughts on the figures depicted in the three left-most panels...