My first Omani Khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by blue lander

It's tarnished and disintegrating, but it was within my price range. After reading Ibrahiim's extensive khanjar thread, I believe this would be a Muscat style khanjar?

Salaams Blue Lander, Oh Bye the way...There is an excellent website at Omani silver dot com which is an information only ...and presumeably therefor a research site...that has some very good artefacts including swords and Khanjars...etc however I use the site as an example of how confusing the situation can be regarding what is and what is not an Omani Khanjar~

The weapons they show include part of a superb collection of Omani daggers put together by a German source and from East Africa ...and therein lies the problem...East Africa "encompassed" the regional area of Zanzibar and north to the Red Sea for trade etc...Consequently several of the daggers they show are not Omani but very similar... but with a curious flower stamp on the reverse...unknown to Omani style. The stamp originates with the flower tribe in what was the Asir...The other clue is the scabbards are inscribed on the reverse in typical regional style ...Occasionally Omani Khanjars had a makers or owners mark but rarely...whereas on Asir weapons it was common. The weapons have the typical bigger turn in the scabbard. Thus they are purebreds alright... but Yemeni pre 1921 Asir ... Now KSA. These are the daggers that Omani people call Habaabi. (Abha is the capital of that region and Abhaabi or Habaabi means ..."Of Abha") Naturally I have written several times to the authors but as yet without reply...and therefor place the pictures for more research...

Note the dagger has the usual UUUUUU design above the belt section and the bigger turn to the scabbard. The flower stamp is on the reverse. For flower tribe (second picture shows flower tribals) and complete pictorial proof see the following series of pictures;


http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesfred/5512947198

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/4336633417

http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesfred/5780340287

http://www.flickr.com/photos/charlesfred/5780340299

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mytripsmypics/4318547823

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

* Pictures below from the non commercial site http://www.omanisilver.com