MUSANDAM (JERZ) AXES for Comment

kahnjar1 · 12th January 2015, 08:33 PM

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

VANDOO · 13th January 2015, 07:45 PM

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.

kronckew · 13th January 2015, 10:50 PM

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.

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 20th January 2015, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

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.

kronckew · 20th January 2015, 10:24 PM

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.

kahnjar1 · 21st January 2015, 05:31 AM

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

Kubur · 22nd January 2015, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Kronckew... The more I look at
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..
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

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

12th January 2015, 08:33 PM	#1
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,786	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 Attached Images

13th January 2015, 07:45 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	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. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 13th January 2015 at 08:07 PM.

13th January 2015, 10:50 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	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. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 13th January 2015 at 11:11 PM.

20th January 2015, 10:24 PM	#5
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,215	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.

21st January 2015, 05:31 AM	#6
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,786	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