My last entry : Saudi dagger

[Dom]

Good day Gentlemen

let me have the pleasure to introduce you my last acquisition;
a Saudi dagger - "jambiya"
- age ; contempory
- origine ; oasis region in eastern Saudi Arabia
- denomination; "Doojaniyan"

the scabbard is covered with green velvet for a part,
and a silver plate decorated with many small silver filigree pieces

the belt attachment is made of an arrangement of silver rings (7),
and twisted silver wire, and with an chased silver locket

the hilt is in rhinoceros horn

a single curved blade double-edged and marked with a double midrib

comments and appreciations are welcomed

à +

Dom

[A.alnakkas]

Salam Dom,

Mabrook this is a wonderful piece. Hows the quality on the blade? first time i see one like this. Is it of persian (or syrian) origin?

[Lew]

The blade seems to have an armor piercing tip which leads me to think it is Indo Persian rather a than native Arabian blade. I'm sure there was plenty of trade back in the day and some how this blade ended up on a Saudi jambiya.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

Salam Dom,

Mabrook this is a wonderful piece. Hows the quality on the blade? first time i see one like this. Is it of persian (or syrian) origin?

Aleikum Salam alnakkas
Allah ya Barifik
concerning the blade, I dunno from where it's come from,
first time for me too to face that type of blade, "double midrib"
my books are silent about that suject
the blade seems "nickeled" ??
in general, and as far as I knows and I saw in Saudi (not any more in our days)
the blacksmiths were Yemenite

à +

Dom

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Lew

I'm sure there was plenty of trade back in the day and some how this blade ended up on a Saudi jambiya.

Each year at the monsoon season,
dhows was doing the trip to Asia and returned with everything that could do business ...
and not limited just to silk and spices

for sure, it is the vocation of the Arabs of Arabia to be traders ...
till now

à +

Dom

[A.alnakkas]

I suggest that it can be even indian. The gulf people have a long history of trade with india, so it wont be far fetched to suggest that this is an indian blade.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

I suggest that it can be even indian. The gulf people have a long history of trade with india, so it wont be far fetched to suggest that this is an indian blade.

Hi
Thanks, your remark seems to be pertinent
I noticed some similitudes between my blade and blade of katar from Rajasthan

à +

Dom

I will completed my investigation
in fact I beleive that is not too much rare to found a blade with "double fullers" in Saudi (pic attached)

[VANDOO]

A VERY NICE ONE CONGRADULATIONS GOOD WORKMANSHIP THRUOUT.
I HAVE SEEN THESE REFERRED TO AS FIVE RING AFTER THE FIVE SILVER RINGS ON THE SCABBARD. YOURS ALSO HAS AN ADDITIONAL TWO FOR SECURING IT SO I GUESS IF THEY ARE COUNTED IT IS PERHAPS A 7 RING ONE.
SOME HAVE LESS RINGS AND SOME MORE BUT FIVE IS USUALLY THE HIGHEST NUMBER TO MY KNOWLEGE. (WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS VERY SMALL IN THIS FIELD )
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THERE IS ANY SIGNIFICENCE TO THE NUMBER OF THESE RINGS ON THESE DAGGERS.??

[Dom]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

A VERY NICE ONE CONGRADULATIONS GOOD WORKMANSHIP THRUOUT.
I HAVE SEEN THESE REFERRED TO AS FIVE RING AFTER THE FIVE SILVER RINGS ON THE SCABBARD. YOURS ALSO HAS AN ADDITIONAL TWO FOR SECURING IT SO I GUESS IF THEY ARE COUNTED IT IS PERHAPS A 7 RING ONE.
SOME HAVE LESS RINGS AND SOME MORE BUT FIVE IS USUALLY THE HIGHEST NUMBER TO MY KNOWLEGE. (WHICH UNFORTUNATELY IS VERY SMALL IN THIS FIELD )
I WOULD BE INTERESTED IN KNOWING IF THERE IS ANY SIGNIFICENCE TO THE NUMBER OF THESE RINGS ON THESE DAGGERS.??

a significance ... for sure

Hi Vandoo, you opened a large subject ...

traditionaly; Saudi Khanjar have 7 rings and Omani only 4 ...
if I can't give an explaination for 4 rings excepted the custom, I might digress much more about the symbolism of 7 (seven)
judge by yourself ...
The number 7 is one of the most striking numbers. It is closely related to human history (the seven wonders of the world ...),
the symbolism of religions (7 days a week, 7 deadly sins ...) and science (the 7 crystal systems, the 7 basic units of the international system,...).
It represents perfection and is considered a magic number.

The word comes from the Latin "Septem" September "seven", whose root is found in all Indo-European: Germanic * sebun (Sibun Gothic, German sieben, seven English)
SEDM Old Church Slavonic, Lithuanian septyni, Celtic * Sextan (Sechter Old Irish, Welsh saith, Breton seiz and Sanskrit Sapte, all of Indo-European * septm.
sebt Arabic and Hebrew words Shabat both mean "seventh day ".
but also ....
According to tradition
Myths, symbols and superstitions

* The rose petals to the seven.
* The number of heads of certain monsters like the Hydra of Lerna.
* The number of deadly sins: lust, greed, envy, pride, sloth, gluttony and anger. Called capital because it is from them that of all other rights.
* For the Statue of Liberty, New York, the seven rays of the crown represent the seven seas and continents.
* The number of years of misfortune that should befall one who would have broken a mirror.

Religions
In the Bible

* The Menorah or seven-branched candelabrum.
* The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
* The number of days in a week is a highly symbolic number among Jews and Christians,
because it is the number of days with which God created the world.
* The number of sacraments in the Catholic religion.
* The collective name "The Seven", the first seven deacons ordained by the apostles (cf. Acts 6.1 to 6).
* The number of Archangels of the Apocalypse, as "stars" and "candles"
(symbolic representatives each of the seven archangels of God and the "Seven Churches")
and letters to seven churches.
* The number of heads of the beast of the Apocalypse.
* The number 7 itself appears 77 times in the Bible.

In Islam

* The number of ayat in Surat al-Fatiha.
* The number of heavens in Islamic tradition.

In other traditions

* Greco-Roman Tradition
o The traditional number of the Seven Wonders of the World.
o The traditional number of stars and metals associated with them:
Iron = Mars, Venus = copper, lead = Saturn, Jupiter = tin, mercury = Mercury, Moon = silver, gold = sun).
o The number of Athena to Pythagoras and Proclus, and by extension the number of philosophy.
* In the East:
o The number of chakras in the holy cities of Hinduism (the sacred number par excellence).
o The number of basic principles of Bushido.
* In numerology, seven is the Interior Life.

and it's could be possible to continue ....
the Muslim in general and Arab in particular have been every time very attracted by the "wonders" ......
as well as with "Islamic magic bowls" for instance ...
where we may found Koranic verses, Seal of Solomon and magic squares

à +

Dom

[Battara]

What impresses me is the blade. This is a truly old and original blade. Rare to see. Zukran!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Dom

Good day Gentlemen

let me have the pleasure to introduce you my last acquisition;
a Saudi dagger - "jambiya"
- age ; contempory
- origine ; oasis region in eastern Saudi Arabia
- denomination; "Doojaniyan"

the scabbard is covered with green velvet for a part,
and a silver plate decorated with many small silver filigree pieces

the belt attachment is made of an arrangement of silver rings (7),
and twisted silver wire, and with an chased silver locket

the hilt is in rhinoceros horn

a single curved blade double-edged and marked with a double midrib

comments and appreciations are welcomed

à +

Dom

Great pictures ... Al-Ahsa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Al-Ahsa (or Al-Hasa) may refer to: Al-Ahsa or Al-Hasa - an oasis region in eastern Saudi Arabia; Al-Ahsa Governorate - the administrative unit that includes ...etc etc and the gateway to the UAE ETC... Great dagger but I am unsure as to its name as it is so close to a Khanjar (Omani) but absolutely Saudia for sure... They probably call it a Jambiyya.



Read more: http://www.righthealth.com/topic/Al-...#ixzz1HzR566SA

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Dom

a significance ... for sure

Hi Vandoo, you opened a large subject ...

traditionaly; Saudi Khanjar have 7 rings and Omani only 4 ...
if I can't give an explaination for 4 rings excepted the custom, I might digress much more about the symbolism of 7 (seven)
judge by yourself ...
The number 7 is one of the most striking numbers. It is closely related to human history (the seven wonders of the world ...),
the symbolism of religions (7 days a week, 7 deadly sins ...) and science (the 7 crystal systems, the 7 basic units of the international system,...).
It represents perfection and is considered a magic number.

The word comes from the Latin "Septem" September "seven", whose root is found in all Indo-European: Germanic * sebun (Sibun Gothic, German sieben, seven English)
SEDM Old Church Slavonic, Lithuanian septyni, Celtic * Sextan (Sechter Old Irish, Welsh saith, Breton seiz and Sanskrit Sapte, all of Indo-European * septm.
sebt Arabic and Hebrew words Shabat both mean "seventh day ".
but also ....
According to tradition
Myths, symbols and superstitions

* The rose petals to the seven.
* The number of heads of certain monsters like the Hydra of Lerna.
* The number of deadly sins: lust, greed, envy, pride, sloth, gluttony and anger. Called capital because it is from them that of all other rights.
* For the Statue of Liberty, New York, the seven rays of the crown represent the seven seas and continents.
* The number of years of misfortune that should befall one who would have broken a mirror.

Religions
In the Bible

* The Menorah or seven-branched candelabrum.
* The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
* The number of days in a week is a highly symbolic number among Jews and Christians,
because it is the number of days with which God created the world.
* The number of sacraments in the Catholic religion.
* The collective name "The Seven", the first seven deacons ordained by the apostles (cf. Acts 6.1 to 6).
* The number of Archangels of the Apocalypse, as "stars" and "candles"
(symbolic representatives each of the seven archangels of God and the "Seven Churches")
and letters to seven churches.
* The number of heads of the beast of the Apocalypse.
* The number 7 itself appears 77 times in the Bible.

In Islam

* The number of ayat in Surat al-Fatiha.
* The number of heavens in Islamic tradition.

In other traditions

* Greco-Roman Tradition
o The traditional number of the Seven Wonders of the World.
o The traditional number of stars and metals associated with them:
Iron = Mars, Venus = copper, lead = Saturn, Jupiter = tin, mercury = Mercury, Moon = silver, gold = sun).
o The number of Athena to Pythagoras and Proclus, and by extension the number of philosophy.
* In the East:
o The number of chakras in the holy cities of Hinduism (the sacred number par excellence).
o The number of basic principles of Bushido.
* In numerology, seven is the Interior Life.

and it's could be possible to continue ....
the Muslim in general and Arab in particular have been every time very attracted by the "wonders" ......
as well as with "Islamic magic bowls" for instance ...
where we may found Koranic verses, Seal of Solomon and magic squares

à +

Dom

This is interesting however the Omani kHANJAR has either 4 or 7 rings. The 7 ringers are from The Sharqiyyah eastern Oman in the Wahibah desert region. The other 7 ring style is the Royal Khanjar variant apparently designed by a previous Sultans wife. That one also has a monumental handle copied from an Indian dagger hilt. The question as to whether it is cakled a 5 or a 7 ringer is probably lost in time because both numbers are very significant ... 5 being the hand of Fatima link and 7 the Koranic link already mentioned in the quote. 7 is a very respected number but I find that most people have forgotten the significance of the 5 though it continues to appear on many items especially silver Omani and other Islamic Jewelery. I reckon the 4 ringer doesnt have any significance... it just does the job .

[Dom]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Great pictures ... Al-Ahsa - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Al-Ahsa (or Al-Hasa) may refer to: Al-Ahsa or Al-Hasa - an oasis region in eastern Saudi Arabia; Al-Ahsa Governorate - the administrative unit that includes ...etc etc and the gateway to the UAE ETC... Great dagger but I am unsure as to its name as it is so close to a Khanjar (Omani) but absolutely Saudia for sure... They probably call it a Jambiyya.



Read more: http://www.righthealth.com/topic/Al-...#ixzz1HzR566SA

Salam Ibrahim
thanks a lot for the complementary informations
about, how that kind of dagger is named,
even if I spent 6 years of my life in Saudi,
it's not from that background, that I knew it, more modestly
I found the reference in book "Weapons of the Islamic World" (Saudi book ...)

best regards

à +

Dom