Souq Axe for Comments...

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Al Shamal

Salam,

Here is another axe for comments....
This time from Muttrah, Muscat; although it maybe far removed from it's origin and handle i would suggest! Out of interest the vendor stated it as being from Turkmenistan.

The axe head has been 'lodged' in-place with some bonding glue/epoxy and then purple ribbon wrapped until 'things' set

My interest lay in the axe head itself...it has 6 triangular shapes (formed with detailed lines) in the shape of a triangle on the blade. They look quite symbolic, but whoose symbols? There are also 3 lined sections located on the neck of the blade (actually these remind me a little of some Musandam jerz markings), perhaps originally filled with brass/gold, now with only one small section remaining. The other side of the blade is also identical with the same markings.

From the axe blade to the poll butt measures 142mm. Total length, head to hilt is 925mm.

All comments welcome and i am hoping the triangular type symbols have a story to tell!!

Salaams Al Shamal ~ Interesting stamp marks of 6 miniature shields. It looks Indian or Indo Persian. The shaft whilst appearing to show floral (possibly geometric figure 5) decor could be from anywhere on the Indian sub continent or surrounding countries and may be a replacement ..but the axe head is very interesting. Its not the Mussandam shape we normally see ...Al Ain Museum curator did a fine research paper on Mussandam Axes so you may like to drop in and see that..Dr Waleed...The axe is too splayed to be a Mussandam type but falls more into the category of Indo Persian. It looks almost Luristani...The shield marks have me beat... but... I did a bit of work on Heraldic symbols and they dont appear to be Islamic Heraldic marks ... They look more European. Please see these two references;

http://tinyton.org/hersymbols.htm http://www.appletonstudios.com/MamlukHeraldry2001.pdf


What is interesting is that the 6 shields... or Charges are described as Ordinaries Diminuatives, Geometric Divisions and Objects. On your Axe they have bars~

Bars are variations on the Fess; One who sets the bar of conscience, religion and honour against angry passions and evil temptations.

This is indeed a peculiar set of axe head marks.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Note:
There are at this time, in English, only two books which discuss at any length Mamluk heraldry.
They are:
Mayer, L.A., Saracenic Heraldry, A Survey, Oxford University Press, 1933, repr. Sandpiper Books
Ltd., 1999
Leaf, William, and Sally Purcell, Heraldic Symbols... (I have the latter but it offers no clues.)