Islamic Axe for I D and Comment

[Gavin Nugent]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Thank you Gentlemen for your comments and information so far.
I would now like to make some assumptions and would like some feedback on what you think.
1.We now seem to agree that this axe is from what is now modern day Tanzania, which of course was the name given to the combined countries of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.
2. It is assumed that the language spoken in Tanganyika was some sort of african dialect.
3. Zanzibar was under the control of the Sultanate of Oman from 1698 until 1890 when the British interfered.
4. It is assumed that the language spoken in Zanzibar at that time would largely have been Arabic.
5.This axe has a cartouche in Arabic, so we assume that it "lived" in Zanzibar.
6. Assuming that the date 1307 (1889ad) on the cartouche is accurate, then this axe existed in Zanzibar under Omani rule, as the British did not take power until 1890.
If the above IS correct then this axe, although of african origin in design, is actually of Arabian (Omani) heritage.

Stu,

Great that direction has been found but Zanzibar to my mind would not be correct for this axe, I would say mainland Africa as there was just as much influence on the ground there.
I'd be interested in thoughts from others with regards to your assumptons.

Gav