Rhino Khanjar for comments

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Dom

Salam Ibrahiim
all these consignments were made ​​there ± 110 years ago,
it's easy to imagine, that "Buttin" hadn't our communication facilities to corroborate his informations,
not like us actually with the "net"

"Buttin" has mentioned often, that some Islamic weapons are rare, (what it's not any more the case in our days ...)
but, travelers to Islamic countries of Middle-East, in this century was very few,
and some countries was more or less closed to Western peoples, or at least for non-Muslims
that might explain a little, imprecisions or perhaps even errors on some of his notes
I am well aware of that, but that don't challenge the value bibliographic of the book, in general

I will not allow me (I don't have the quality) to comment the written notes of "Buttin",
even if I found at my point of view sometimes strange interpretations
I strive to meet in my translation, to the mind, against the form of text,
no more

what I find most interesting in this book, is not so much the comments of "Buttin",
but physically, how they was looking like, these islamic edged weapons found about 150 years ago
this to me (us) can attempt to determine the oldest weapons forms, to the most recent,
however ... if possible

all the best my Friend

à +

Dom

Salaams Dom~ You are correct indeed about the difficulties of research on these weapons at that time. Actually getting to visit some of the countries over 100 years ago would have been at best dangerous and even in the 1940s and 1950s travel into the Interior of Oman was extremely dodgey... according to Thesiger. The lack of information combined with the state of the Oman which was in decline until 1970 must have made study of this sort almost impossible. I find it quite difficult even now! What must it have been like then?
It is very convenient to be able to present an item for discussion to Forum and instantly reach many hundreds of enthusiastic specialists and scholars such as yourself who are willing to give up their time to promote our chosen field.
I had hoped that Buttins work would have passed copyright by now as has Burtons work which is freely available on the web but I see that Buttin has been rewritten under his grandson quite recently...It goes on my vast list of books I must have !
One thing is certain that what Khanjars looked like 100 years ago here in Oman .... for sure thats what they looked like 500 years ago and earlier.
Thank you Dom...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.