ID Omani Jambiya

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Steve.
This dagger is described by the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies in Riyadh KSA, as a DHARIA dagger known as "Muqaffala" or "Mufarragha". The area origin is Western Saudi, Asir/Hijaz region. There is a book published by the K F Center, titled Weapons of the Islamic World/Swords and Armour. It illustrates an exhibition by them in 1991 and this type of dagger is illustrated.
I should also add that the Omani and Yemeni daggers shown in this exhibition are described as just that....daggers... and the term "Jambiya" and "Khanjar" do not feature. It would appear that the names used in the countries of origin are perhaps localised and probaly more likely to be correct. ....Omani=Khanjar and Yemen=Jambiya. Only those who live in those countries would know the true description applied. Early authors such as Cameron Stone may possibly have used some descriptive licence, which in more recent times will come to refined or corrected.
Regards Stu

Salaams khanjar 1 (Only those who live in those countries would know the true description applied.)

~The long debate about name of weapon etc etc is a complicated issue. However I dont think we are at the point of simply calling them all daggers... They are Khanjars in Oman and Jambiyya in Saudia and Yemen. Otherwise we would be calling everything a Knife... or the long ones all "Swords" .

~Khanjar is an Omani word; Jambiyya isnt. The linguistic specialists will probably look to Hemyaritic or Saudia or possibly Swahili for the Jambiyya word source. Whats in a name...? quite a lot I suspect... however annoying !
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi