Omani khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Richard G

The khunjar in post #6 has a fine silver face of closely placed pins. In my experience the material of the hilt itself is probably worthy of closer inspection.

The jambiya in post #14 is, as Khanjar1 says, now thought to be KSA. A convincing point, to me, as Ibrahim points out, is the two small lugs on the rear of the scabbard which would facilitate attachment to a wide Yemeni style belt, and be redundant on a true Omani khunjar. Ruth Hawley's book (1978) on Omani silver illustrates a similar jambiya, but on an Omani belt, which she attributes 'probably' to the Sharqiyah in Oman. This attribution may be wrong, but I think we can safely assume the khunjar was in Oman, when she acquired it. I stiil wouldn't bet my house some of these might not have been made in Oman.

The King Feisal Centre Exhibition catalogue has two jambiya with this type of scabbard (page 56) described as from Al Ahsa, 'contemporary' (1990) and 'Doojaniyan' . I often wondered what that meant. Now, thanks to Mr Alnakkas, I know. But, would the the inhabitants of Al Ahsa, which is a long way from the Asir wear their jambiya on a Yemeni type belt, or an Omani type ? Does anyone know more of Abdulaziz Al Dojani ? I am beginning to think he must have had a sizeable workshop, if we knew where it was (or is), some attributions might be more certain.

Regards
Richard

Salaams Richard G ...My first reference is from Forum Library at http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...omani+khanjars which deals with daggers from the Asir in what are known in Oman as Habaabi or of Abha weapons...Abha being the local capital.

Whilst I would never run down the famous work of Ruth Hawley in what was a ground breaking but limited publication ...full of great historical broad and wide facts on Omani Silver where there is the most peculiar page showing the Dagger with a grainy and difficult to detect picture of the interloper you mention... indeed not a Muscat Dagger as I first imagined but one from The Asir, Yemen now part of KSA...and covered elsewhere on Forum... An area kept very much in the dark for a long time after it changed ownership (1920?)and from which very little information leaked out until relatively recently. It was not actually written into the KSA statute books until around 1935...and remained shrouded in darkness for many years after... Ruth Hawleys book in fact would not have had the information to hand as it was still a difficult area when it was written...but it is generally seen and agreed that the weapon shown is from the Asir.

To view another tranche of odd and mistaken Khanjars see www.omanisilver.com where the authors misplace in their virtual entirety a complete group of Khanjars as Omani when in fact they are from the Flower Tribal Asir region now in KSA. Easily done I suppose...

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.