The Musandam Axe. The Jerrs Axe.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 29th May 2015, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

The Musandam Axe. The Jerrs Axe.

What is this strange Northern Enclave at the Straits of Hormuz separated from Oman proper and peopled by a seemingly different tribal group...amongst others, the "Shehuh"...giving us The Shehi work-knife as well as the topic weapon ...The Musandam Axe or Jerrs ?

Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note; Pictured below the main map and examples of Jerrs Axe heads from Richardson and Dorr. The Oman Cultural Foundation Volumes on Omani Artefacts.

Salaams all and a note to library on a point just discovered whilst reading ...

The word Gurz was Persian for mace .... This would appear to be the root of the Mussandam word for their axe....Jerrs.... see http://archive.org/stream/CloseComba...eriod_djvu.txt by SHIHAB AL-SARRA1-

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 5th June 2019, 06:28 PM

Some more Jerrs axes from the Mussandam.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 7th September 2019, 05:04 PM

Some axes from the local Souk..

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 7th September 2019, 05:14 PM

This has to be the best Mussandam Axe I have seen to date and seems to be a laminated blade ..From the private collection of Hussain Ahli Probably the finest stick maker in the region.

Jim McDougall · 7th September 2019, 07:22 PM

Ibrahiim thank you for posting these! While not particularly familiar with most axes and hafted weapons, these very much remind me of a type of axe used by the Kalash tribes of Chitral regions in N. India. These tribes were previously known as Kafirs and of what is now Nuristan.
What I recall is they had a small head and very long haft like this.

The cross influences are most interesting, and it seems there are similar kinds of long hafted axe in Eastern Europe as well.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 8th September 2019, 03:08 PM

Salaams Jim, At #5 the story unfolds; Was it brought to the shores of Musandam by sailors from other lands or was it picked up by the people of Musandam in the course of voyages down the Arabian Gulf and out into the Indian Ocean? Or was it developed by an artistic smith keen to showcase his skills as a good metal worker and an artist? The antecedents of the jerz are covered in mist. There are no records to indicate how it came to be an integral tool in this society. The quest to find where this tiny hardware surfaced from and who influenced the design and the fine decoration on the blade and the handle draws a blank.

Later in that article the focus seems to be toward a 2nd Milenium BC origin and I may have noted that the curator of al ain Museum conducted a study on the weapon. It is perhaps related to other axes across the Gulf in Luristan for example and onward to India and Northwards to Europe though it is here in Arabia that this weapon is now embedded as almost an Icon of The Mussandam. Regards Ibrahim al Balooshi.

Edster · 8th September 2019, 09:22 PM

I collected this utility axe in Eastern Sudan, likely at El Fao, in 1985. The type is used by herders to hinge acacia tree limbs so their camels can feed on the leaves. It looks remarkably like the subject axes, but in a much cruder fit for purpose finish. As you wonder, where is the origin of the design/type?

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 9th September 2019, 03:10 PM

Thank You Edster for the excellent examples clearly related in form.

5th June 2019, 06:28 PM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Some more Jerrs axes from the Mussandam. Attached Images

7th September 2019, 05:04 PM	#3
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Some axes from the local Souk.. Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 7th September 2019 at 05:16 PM.

7th September 2019, 05:14 PM	#4
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	This has to be the best Mussandam Axe I have seen to date and seems to be a laminated blade ..From the private collection of Hussain Ahli Probably the finest stick maker in the region. Attached Images

8th September 2019, 09:22 PM	#7
Edster Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 415	I collected this utility axe in Eastern Sudan, likely at El Fao, in 1985. The type is used by herders to hinge acacia tree limbs so their camels can feed on the leaves. It looks remarkably like the subject axes, but in a much cruder fit for purpose finish. As you wonder, where is the origin of the design/type? Attached Images

7th September 2019, 07:22 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,281	Ibrahiim thank you for posting these! While not particularly familiar with most axes and hafted weapons, these very much remind me of a type of axe used by the Kalash tribes of Chitral regions in N. India. These tribes were previously known as Kafirs and of what is now Nuristan. What I recall is they had a small head and very long haft like this. The cross influences are most interesting, and it seems there are similar kinds of long hafted axe in Eastern Europe as well.

8th September 2019, 03:08 PM	#6
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams Jim, At #5 the story unfolds; Was it brought to the shores of Musandam by sailors from other lands or was it picked up by the people of Musandam in the course of voyages down the Arabian Gulf and out into the Indian Ocean? Or was it developed by an artistic smith keen to showcase his skills as a good metal worker and an artist? The antecedents of the jerz are covered in mist. There are no records to indicate how it came to be an integral tool in this society. The quest to find where this tiny hardware surfaced from and who influenced the design and the fine decoration on the blade and the handle draws a blank. Later in that article the focus seems to be toward a 2nd Milenium BC origin and I may have noted that the curator of al ain Museum conducted a study on the weapon. It is perhaps related to other axes across the Gulf in Luristan for example and onward to India and Northwards to Europe though it is here in Arabia that this weapon is now embedded as almost an Icon of The Mussandam. Regards Ibrahim al Balooshi.

9th September 2019, 03:10 PM	#8
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Thank You Edster for the excellent examples clearly related in form.