The Omani Khanjar

[Edster]

Thanks for the thoughtful answers. They round out the khanjar's role within its social context.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Some thought has been put into the belt ...an old style to match this set.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Here are some old belts as examples ~

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

A Word on Blades. (#257 also Refers.)

The excellent work at Omanisilver.com mentions Omani Khanjar Blades as being historically imported from Solingen and as essentially basic blades. Indeed I have seldom seen (until recently) examples of anything other than standard basic quality except on the odd occasion of a Wootz derivative turning up. I know of one Russian importer who specializes in such blades. I have also heard of mysterious blades made from falling meteorites etc etc. The process local people go through is also quite amazing with taste smell and musical note when struck with a flicked finger nail and whether or not a blade and khanjar can be lifted by the very point of the blade between finger and thumb...
Therefor since these are passed down structures I suggest that these methods are mythical (although interesting) . I have never actually seen a failed blade...After all their main purpose is fairly simple thus a basic blade is actually fine.

Blades below from Khanjar Shops. One illustrates blades with some degree of treatment either to the surface or Wootz while the other are the more common form; simple and basic.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Much of the designs used in decorating Omani Khanjars are not recorded and in fact the techniques are mainly done with a hammer and a 6 inch nail thus students trying to observe a technique often cannot find research …

There isn't any\much except here at EAA and on the remarkable website at http://www.khanjar.om/Materials.html.

Here are some further clues in Silver Omani Jewellery pieces … Please see https://britishmuseum.org/pdf/BMTRB_..._and_Meeks.pdf

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Reference:
A. http://www.khanjar.om/Types.html



I have been on the lookout for a certain style of Yemeni dagger which I knew was almost identical to a rarely seen omani variant from the Dhofar Region. Here it is and you may note the main giveaway is the belt...a simple leather style but in the case of the scabbard another hint to its origin using script hammered in near the top. The decorative silver almost birdlike winged structure decorates the top half of the scabbard. The hilt appears to be high density fibre of some sort..Reference A shows the Omani variant and under three different names usually Genoobi (Southern) is used for this style.

A YEMENI DAGGER ON A YEMENI BELT IN OMAN.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

This one is quite remarkable for its superb balance in design and particularly the crown at the end of the scabbard and the decoration at the lower hilt and on the top part of the scabbard which are all matching in a beautiful scroll style with blackened pattern almost in the style of neillo.
my instinct says a dagger from the Interior...because of all the leather below the belt...The design on the lower scabbard is similar to human form amulets from Adam in the Dhakilliyya...The interior.