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Originally Posted by Richard G
Hello,
I am new here, so forgive me whilst I struggle with the mechanics of posting. I thought members might be interested to see an example of the the "spiral with leaves" pattern of decoration that is seen on so many Omani\UAE khunjars, and is often said to be associated with Nizwa, on an Indian brass tray.
Hope this works
Regards
Richard
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Salaams Richard G and welcome to the Forum !!
This is an excellent subject in which to begin your observations. The Khanjar you post is typical in all respects of Omani work. The decorative technique is in essence the famous "Arabesque" style copied and modified across the entire region. Richardson and Dorr in their book "The Craft Herritage of Oman" go to some lengths to explain the techniques of Khanjar decoration. Perhaps best summed up; Quote. "Arabesque patterns in spirals are used for the ornamentation of silver chapes and bands for sword and khanjar scabbards and hilts ~ a style commonly referred to as being "shamaliyyah" ~ of the north".Unquote.
The pattern appears on trays and dishes (and on most Islamic decorative objects including tiles, ceramics, carpets and even on henna hand decoration) either worked on by hand or stamped or spun onto the plate from a dye or pattern cutter... spinning was a method of placing a cyclic pattern onto a plate often detected by a centre- plate-dent where the spinning object has been steadied in the rudimentary lathe.
Nizwa is a traditional centre for copper wares as well as agricultural tools and silver and gold work. The tray however is purely Indian with many regions where copper and brass were decorated. Omani trays tend to be quite austere; decorated in geometric bands and Arabesques..whereas Indian work may well have those plus fabulous animals depicted in leafy scrolled borders.
The following techniques are employed in Omani Khanjar making where the craftsmen encompass the work of steel, silver, wood, horn, leather and emboidery skills ~ casting, forging, sheet wire and inlay, filigree, chasing, engraving, stamping, doming, granulation, gilding and burnishing. This was a male dominated skill except that women were involved doing "tatriz" the silver emboidery however today there are apprenticeship schemes with females involved at all stages in this great traditional work.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.
Note; Architectural masterpieces in "arabesque" can be seen on the ceilings at Jabrin Palace and Bait al Falaj as well as on the Muscat Merchants houses. The same decorative technique derived from rows of overlapping circles which intersect at their midpoint on an overlapping grid is used on wood carvings on dhows and handcarved doors and windows. The technique goes back in essence to the allowable respected Islamic geometric art form and is a classic in Oman. Favourite silver items decorated thus are the Khanjar, Sword, Hirz silver pendant box and the belt buckle.
After Note ~ Please note that the crown appears to be missing (from the toe of the scabbard) on your otherwise nice example of an Omani Khanjar.