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Originally Posted by kahnjar1
Salaams Ibrahiim,
Not sure that I entirely agree with what you say here.
Firstly this Jambiya was acquired in the U.K so that is not going to help much.
Yes the scabbard toe is likely Nizwa Omani.
Your other comments to me do not ring true. To my knowledge, and I stand to be corrected, is that apart from the Saidi (Royal) Khanjar, most, if not all Omani Khanjars do NOT tend to have the central wrap on the hilt, however MANY Yemeni styles do. There is no way IMHO that this is (as you put it) a "stripped down" Saidi Khanjar, as the hilt shape is all wrong at the top.
Your latest suggestion of Salalah as a possible origin, seems to me to make more sense, as it is very near the Yemeni Hadraumauti border, and I have it on good authority that there are many "cross/culture " pieces to be seen there.
As far as there being only two rings, I would agree that it is likely that the other two and the wire binding are missing, and probably have been for a very long time. The rings by the way are brass or bronze, not silver, though they are of typical cross section shape (not round section).
Regards Stu
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Salaams kahnjar1 I agree with much of your post however, I think the provenance is mixed(as it is with many Omani Khanjars particularly Salalah items) Lets look at this stripped down;
1. Hilt Rhino ~ Could be the Habaabi hilt. Agreed that the pommel configuration is too "Tee Shaped" to be Saidia Royal Style. It could be from another Omani Khanjar see the attached Tee Shaped Dagger. It could also be off a Muscat Khanjar.
2. The big hilt ring... This is off a Royal Omani Hilt for sure...
3. The Cuff silver same geometry as 2 above ... same source.
4. The Throat silver.. 2 and 3 above same source off the Royal weapon.
5. Toe This is off some other Omani Khanjar not the royal style. I have seen a lot of flat ended toe units on Omani Khanjars. Probably Nizwa.
6. Rings ... Not silver but still in the style of Omani and may be from the original scabbard. Two rings missing.
7. The Floral shapes on the hilt... Probably off the same Royal hilt as the other silver work... Same decorative items are on the Habaabi but the chances are this is ex Royal Khanjar silver.
So over-all I reckon mainly taken from a Royal Khanjar but used in Salalah and worn by the Jebali who straddle the border whose relatives are on both sides. It may also be from one of the other Bedu groups around there. Salalah for certain.
Heres a puzzle photo below from which some of the answers may be gleaned ~ I will post on The Omani Khanjar later ... This one is from the TRM(Tareq Rajeb Museum) in Kuwait. Not a common Omani style I have to say.... similar to one I have seen in Mussandam and other similarities with the classic form of Muscat Khanjar...and Royal variety.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.