Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 27th March 2011, 05:27 PM

You can spot the difference between Omani and Yemeni work often because Yemeni craftsmen use a mixture of silver and other metals... some copper etc.... whereas Omani smiths use silver. Non silver items look dull grey to grey green tint whilst silver looks quite lively and rich by comparison. Because of the hugely difficult terrain these designs stuck...frozen in time and place ... plus in the traditions of weaponry in Arabia they have not changed in hundreds of years. The same goes for gunpowder weapons and the long jezail or abu futtillah was still being used until the mid 20th century along side the "newer" Martini Henrys. Quality nosedived in Yemen across the silversmith board as their best craftsmen left in the 1948 exodus of Yemeni Jews though there are still some remaining so that the occasional class piece can still be obtained. In the Yemen they use the lost wax process of pour moulding silver whereas in Oman its pure craftsmanship; employing delicate repouse technique and beautiful silver stitching. Identification is occasionally baffling as border areas in Saudia and Oman and Yemen have similar Khanjars to the Omani 7 ringer but you quickly realise the non Omani as a bit narrower...Phew !! Without the pictures of the whole ensemble its rather like trying to explain the rules of cricket to a martian!!! I find it easier to class all the Khanjars together as a family then look at the Jambiyya separately as another species ... so without further ado I will shut up and go away and photograph what I think are about 10 different Khanjars .. (Pl. Khanaja) all similar but subtly different...

27th March 2011, 05:27 PM	#21
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Khanjars You can spot the difference between Omani and Yemeni work often because Yemeni craftsmen use a mixture of silver and other metals... some copper etc.... whereas Omani smiths use silver. Non silver items look dull grey to grey green tint whilst silver looks quite lively and rich by comparison. Because of the hugely difficult terrain these designs stuck...frozen in time and place ... plus in the traditions of weaponry in Arabia they have not changed in hundreds of years. The same goes for gunpowder weapons and the long jezail or abu futtillah was still being used until the mid 20th century along side the "newer" Martini Henrys. Quality nosedived in Yemen across the silversmith board as their best craftsmen left in the 1948 exodus of Yemeni Jews though there are still some remaining so that the occasional class piece can still be obtained. In the Yemen they use the lost wax process of pour moulding silver whereas in Oman its pure craftsmanship; employing delicate repouse technique and beautiful silver stitching. Identification is occasionally baffling as border areas in Saudia and Oman and Yemen have similar Khanjars to the Omani 7 ringer but you quickly realise the non Omani as a bit narrower...Phew !! Without the pictures of the whole ensemble its rather like trying to explain the rules of cricket to a martian!!! I find it easier to class all the Khanjars together as a family then look at the Jambiyya separately as another species ... so without further ado I will shut up and go away and photograph what I think are about 10 different Khanjars .. (Pl. Khanaja) all similar but subtly different...