Jamdhar Katari?

A.alnakkas · 2nd November 2011, 02:25 AM

Hey guys,

I've got this dagger a while ago from epray.. It has a stamp on the hilt that says "Afghanistan" (mazar sharif?) and on the ricasso it says Sahat/Sahet AbdulWahed 1132. Would appreciate more opinion about it... I've seen similar here on the forum and on artzi's website. But overall info on this dagger type was low :-/

Regards,

Abdullatif

Lew · 2nd November 2011, 03:36 AM

I had one of these a few years back. They are status symbols similar to Yemeni jambiyas.

Jim McDougall · 2nd November 2011, 07:46 AM

Abdullatif, while this is clearly a modern example, it is of a unique and distinct form which is known as a 'katara' if memory serves, and of a fascinating tribal people known as the Kalash. Though the history of these people is complex, they are related to the Kafirs of Kafiristan (now Nuristan) adjacent to and part of Afghanistan. The Kalash however fled Nuristan upon the invasion of Afghan Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, I think in the 1880s.
The Kalash are of the Chitral regions of Pakistan near Khyber province and are a polytheistic and uniquely traditional tribal people with a facinating history. As the Kafirs they are represented in Kiplings "Man Who Would be King", and I can recall speaking with one of the tribal elders upon research I was doing on this tribe some years ago. Apparantly one of thier rituals involves dancing with a particular form of long handled axe as one of the icons and I was working with someone in Germany seeking one of these.

I was able to see several examples of these of some age, which look just like this, and surprisingly found that somehow quite a number of these had been turning up in Nepal.

The Afghan crest is of course seen on yours represented with the Mosque of Mazir i Sharif.

All the best,
Jim

AJ1356 · 2nd November 2011, 02:32 PM

The Mosque in the Afghan crest is pretty much a made believe mosque, I don't believe it was never to resemble a certain mosque in Afghanistan. The crest on this knife resembles the crest Afghanistan had towards the late 80's ( end of communist era ). The text reads Saakht e Abdul Waadid ساخت عبدالواحد which means made by Abdul Waahid. Afghanistan was not known as Afghanisan in 1132 (Solar, Lunar or Julian) no matter how one would want to twist the history, that is just a number not a year.

A.alnakkas · 2nd November 2011, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AJ1356

The Mosque in the Afghan crest is pretty much a made believe mosque, I don't believe it was never to resemble a certain mosque in Afghanistan. The crest on this knife resembles the crest Afghanistan had towards the late 80's ( end of communist era ). The text reads Saakht e Abdul Waadid ساخت عبدالواحد which means made by Abdul Waahid. Afghanistan was not known as Afghanisan in 1132 (Solar, Lunar or Julian) no matter how one would want to twist the history, that is just a number not a year.

Thats exactly what I thought. The knife is way newer then the date so could it be just a number that the maker added? or probably to give it more value.

AJ1356 · 2nd November 2011, 05:04 PM

I seriousely doubt it is a number the maker gave, somewhat unusual. My money would be on trying to get more money out of it, however with the newer seal it does not make much sense. But then again the maker probably did not think that far ahead.

Correction on the earlier post, the so called mosque in the seal in not a mosque at all, I remembered it at the gym. It is actually a Mehraab and Munbar, let's call it the alter area of a mosque, for those who are not familiar with inside of the mosques.

2nd November 2011, 02:25 AM	#1
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	Jamdhar Katari? Hey guys, I've got this dagger a while ago from epray.. It has a stamp on the hilt that says "Afghanistan" (mazar sharif?) and on the ricasso it says Sahat/Sahet AbdulWahed 1132. Would appreciate more opinion about it... I've seen similar here on the forum and on artzi's website. But overall info on this dagger type was low :-/ Regards, Abdullatif Attached Images

2nd November 2011, 03:36 AM	#2
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	I had one of these a few years back. They are status symbols similar to Yemeni jambiyas.

2nd November 2011, 07:46 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	Abdullatif, while this is clearly a modern example, it is of a unique and distinct form which is known as a 'katara' if memory serves, and of a fascinating tribal people known as the Kalash. Though the history of these people is complex, they are related to the Kafirs of Kafiristan (now Nuristan) adjacent to and part of Afghanistan. The Kalash however fled Nuristan upon the invasion of Afghan Amir Abdur Rahman Khan, I think in the 1880s. The Kalash are of the Chitral regions of Pakistan near Khyber province and are a polytheistic and uniquely traditional tribal people with a facinating history. As the Kafirs they are represented in Kiplings "Man Who Would be King", and I can recall speaking with one of the tribal elders upon research I was doing on this tribe some years ago. Apparantly one of thier rituals involves dancing with a particular form of long handled axe as one of the icons and I was working with someone in Germany seeking one of these. I was able to see several examples of these of some age, which look just like this, and surprisingly found that somehow quite a number of these had been turning up in Nepal. The Afghan crest is of course seen on yours represented with the Mosque of Mazir i Sharif. All the best, Jim

2nd November 2011, 02:32 PM	#4
AJ1356 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 314	The Mosque in the Afghan crest is pretty much a made believe mosque, I don't believe it was never to resemble a certain mosque in Afghanistan. The crest on this knife resembles the crest Afghanistan had towards the late 80's ( end of communist era ). The text reads Saakht e Abdul Waadid ساخت عبدالواحد which means made by Abdul Waahid. Afghanistan was not known as Afghanisan in 1132 (Solar, Lunar or Julian) no matter how one would want to twist the history, that is just a number not a year.

2nd November 2011, 05:04 PM	#6
AJ1356 Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Nashville Posts: 314	I seriousely doubt it is a number the maker gave, somewhat unusual. My money would be on trying to get more money out of it, however with the newer seal it does not make much sense. But then again the maker probably did not think that far ahead. Correction on the earlier post, the so called mosque in the seal in not a mosque at all, I remembered it at the gym. It is actually a Mehraab and Munbar, let's call it the alter area of a mosque, for those who are not familiar with inside of the mosques.