MUSANDAM (JERZ) AXES for Comment
 

These axes were discussed some time ago...http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...light=musandam but no photos were posted of the real deal.
I have just landed an original and a friend of mine in Europe has another.
They are a very small item as you will see from the measurements, but would do some considerable damage if swung at someone.

Measurements of the first one are:
Length (across the head front to rear) 70mm
Edge 25mm
Width of butt 11mm
Haft length 765mm

The other is slightly bigger
Length 90mm
Edge 35mm
Width of butt 11mm
Haft length 905mm

IMHO most unusual and hard to find items.
Stu

I SUSPECT THESE AXES HAVE VERY OLD ORIGINS, PERHAPS GOING BACK TO THE BRONZE AGE. THE OLD BRONZE AGE AXES WERE GENERALLY SMALL AND SOME VERY SIMILAR IN SHAPE. THE SHAFTS ARE NOT PRESENT ON BRONZE AGE AX HEADS SO IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF A AX LIKE THOSE BEING DISCUSSED WAS PRESENT IN THOSE TIMES.
THE COUNTRY AND LIFE STYLE WAS MUCH THE SAME THEN AS NOW SO SUCH A TOOL / WEAPON WOULD HAVE BEEN USEFUL AND LIKELY TO EVOLVE. THE BRONZE AGE FORMS (IF THERE WERE ANY) MAY HAVE BEEN MOUNTED DIFFERENTLY AND PERHAPS HAD NO SOCKET BUT WOULD HAVE BEEN ALMOST AS EFFECTIVE AS THE LATER STEEL BLADES.
THIS SORT OF STAFF/AX HAS COUNTERPARTS IN QUITE A FEW COUNTRY'S WITH ROUGH TERRAIN AND MOUNTAINS. JUST A BIT OF LOGIC AND CONJECTURE BUT PERHAPS A CLUE TO HISTORY'S WINDING TRAIL. :)
THE EARLIEST BRONZE AXES WERE SOLID AND SHAPED LIKE THE STONE CELTS THAT PREDATED THEM, I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE.
HERE ARE TWO PICTURES ONE OF 4 BRONZE AX SAID TO BE PERSIAN AND 2 AX ONE FROM LURISTAN. TWO PICTURES OF STEEL AX INDIA OR AFGHANISTAN FOR COMPARISON. ALL OF THESE AX HEADS LEND THEMSELVES FOR COMFORTABLE USE AS A WALKING STICK IF NEEDED.

add one from the UK: posted & discussed here a while back. while this came from the arabian peninsula, where i worked for ARAMCO Souther area projects dept. for 10+ years, i did not aquire it there. the rub' al kali was occasionally stomped across by me, in a 4x4 rather than by camel tho. and with quite a few gallons of h2o. i got stuck once, not a pleasant feeling at 50C+ with nothing but huge dunes in sight (pre cell (mobile) phone & satnav days too).

Ref:http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...light=musandam.

Salaams Kronckew... The more I look at your axe the more I think this is the ramlat al-wahiba item I mentioned in the reference; http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showt...hlight=musandam. The difference is not at all clear though Musandam axe heads tend toward being decorated in chiseled geometric work and other than that the stick is different ...When buying the axe in Musandam it comes complete with the shaft. In the desert around Ibra and the Wahiba sands the owner fits his own shaft and it is quite different wood like yours ...white ...probably Atom wood not uncommon around Jebel Akhdar.

(I still need to get the pictures I noted of the wootz axeheads at reference that I suspect were made in Baluchistan on the fighting axe a friend has in the Shihu...)

Your axe is, I am fairly certain, a Qudum (Wahiba)....not a Jerrs(Mussandam)... used as a camel stick as well as a defensive weapon in Oman..whereas the Shihu have the more decorated item with a red wood probably Meez ...... The Curator of the Al Ain, UAE, Museum; Dr WaLEED has a complete research document on these axes though as yet I have not seen it...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

shukran, Ibrahim.

very interesting info. i like it even more for it. the owner fitting his own haft appeals to me. makes it more personal. a useful possession.

Salaams Ibrahiim,
Interesting comments, so just to confirm your thoughts, the two decorated axes shown at the opening of this thread are definitely Jerz Axes from Musandam, and NOT a Qudum?.
The one belonging to Kronckew is a Qudum as it is plain?
Regards Stu

Omani Axe Variants.
 

Salaams kahnjar1 ~No doubt in my mind that the first 2 at thread are Musandam Jerrs. The perfect examples are shown at Richardson and Dorr The Oman Heritage Association publication.

Salaams Kronckew~ In the same publication is the almost identical Qudum as the one shown by you.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Thank you. That makes things absolutely clear.
I also have this one. Is this a Qudum or a Jerz? The dimensions are the same as the smaller of the top two Jerz. Is it a modern rendition or simply a tourist piece? The weight of the head is same as the other Jerz, though as can be seen it looks as if it is nickel?? plated.
Stu

I'm very interested by the "camel stick".
When I bought this mace, the guy told me that it was an old camel stick.
And I was thinking "poor camel".

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...highlight=mace

Do you think it is possible?
Kubur

Salaams kahnjar1~ The answer is of course ...it is both. The Jerrs you illustrate is faithfully copied from the ancient style and is still sold in the souks of Musandam and as likely to be bought by locals as well as toursts... Again it fulfills a role both as a camel stick, herders weapon and badge of office.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.