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Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi
Salaams A.alnakkas,
SEE http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...hlight=habaabi
This library reference is self explanatory. Abha is the centre focal point fed by the important seaport Jizzan...and in the old days a stop off port to and from Zanzibar. (Muscat Sur Jizzan Zanzibar Jizzan Sur Muscat) The link to Omani Khanjars is very obvious; and an entirely logical transmission of that style to the Asir and before it itself was absorbed into Saudia...in about 1923...though it took some decades before the shroud of silence and secrecy was actually lifted on the entire region. It is my view that al Wustah ...through Sur...provided the style of dagger into the Asir copied by silversmiths and stamped locally.
Some local influence is visible including the Flower Men tribal stamp...a bunch of flowers. Usually on the reverse. The likely use in Oman of the descriptive word for daggers of this type from that area is Habaabi meaning of Abha.
On age...I have to agree on how difficult this is. What conditions was it worn in?... Was it stored for years ....?...What you are trying to do is guesstimate the age ... look at the obvious wear of being on the waist for decades ...See what back up evidence there is... belt?...and how much credence would you place on that?...belts are renewable...old belts can be put on new weapons...ha! but more to the point... every bit of the khanjar can be replaced ...so how to decide ?? Good blades will go on and on whilst it is very easy to switch a hilt...Silver goes old looking quite quickly... You cant win...but you can generalize and nothing wrong in saying the middle date...
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi. |
While the "flower men" do wear this style now, it was never their invention. Historically they carried the dharia more than this style but since this style now is the current vogue :-)
Abha is not called Habaabi, Habaabi is a tribe that is present in that region. The flower men are not Habaabi too, and most of them live in the mountain of Habala.
If its an Omani term for this style of dagger, then that does not make it a 'habaabi' dagger.