Saudia Jambiya for Identification

[kahnjar1]

This Jambiya was previously identified as "Habaabi" but since "Habaabi", if it actually exists, now appears to be located in Yemen (see thread Yemeni Sayfs, Omani Kattaras), I doubt that this is the case. The jambiya is not typical of Yemeni items but more like other Saudia items.
Comments please.

[T. Koch]

Hi Stu, sorry no input as to your question, but I can't help but give your dagger two thumbs up!

To my eyes, it is one of the most beautiful jambiyas I've ever seen! Love the silverwork. From the enclosed pictures, the hilt looks to be rhinoceros? Normally, I'm not so much into the darker rhino types, would then rather prefer buffalo, but in this case it just goes so very well together with the dark scabbard and the silverwork. Very sexy!

Thanks for sharing!


All the best, - Thor

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by T. Koch

Hi Stu, sorry no input as to your question, but I can't help but give your dagger two thumbs up!

To my eyes, it is one of the most beautiful jambiyas I've ever seen! Love the silverwork. From the enclosed pictures, the hilt looks to be rhinoceros? Normally, I'm not so much into the darker rhino types, would then rather prefer buffalo, but in this case it just goes so very well together with the dark scabbard and the silverwork. Very sexy!

Thanks for sharing!


All the best, - Thor

Hi Thor,
Thanks for comments. Yes it is Rhino.
Stu

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

This Jambiya was previously identified as "Habaabi" but since "Habaabi", if it actually exists, now appears to be located in Yemen (see thread Yemeni Sayfs, Omani Kattaras), I doubt that this is the case. The jambiya is not typical of Yemeni items but more like other Saudia items.
Comments please.

Salaams kahnjar1 This was indeed identified as Habaabi. The silver decoration on the hilt is a chief indicator to hilts of that style. On the other hand the silver has a deeper lustre and I would have thought Omani initially... perhaps even Salalah. Oddly it has an Omani looking blade but only 2 rings. The use of Rhino on this style would also indicate Habaabi..There is a lot of leather below the belt further confusing the issue. To me its Habaabi... in part at least.

I will however put this one to my works team for added confirmation. If I was asked to name 2 places it could be from right now; I would say Habaabi (Hababi in the Yemen) and /or Salalah modified. More pinpoint I shall endeavor to be;

What we may have here is an Habaabi Khanjar(Jambia) but used and modified in Salalah. It is peculiar and could have a very mixed provenance with an Omani scabbard degraded to 2 rings and all the silver except the big fleur de lys floral decorations sprouting from discs at their base (top and bottom on the hilt which are Habaabi) being Omani on an Hababi (Rhino) hilt. The central hilt decorative ring Omani in the same style as the cuff etc. The scabbard silver toe Omani (Nizwa) as is all the silver with the exceptions above. Thus a mixed and modified old Khanjar that I believe is of the Salalah general type. The blade Omani.

Whilst this is something of a mouthful this is quite possibly a working Omani Salalah Jebali / Habaabi Khanjar. Confirmation follows.

Alternatively (and this is where the wheel comes slightly off the bike) it may be concocted (as so many daggers are) from a number of styles including the Royal Omani Khanjar which has similar floral decorative big buttons and a large central silver band on the hilt. See http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...8&page=2&pp=30
at #46.

Where might this have been obtained from?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[kahnjar1]

Salaams Ibrahiim,
I think that to tie an item down as being Habaabi is perhaps being a little too definite. You have stated elsewhere that these COULD have come from as far away as Asir, a distance of some 1000km, which indicates to me at least, that it COULD have originated from almost anywhere in the west of the Arabian Peninsula.
The fact (as you say) that Omanis refer to these particular Jambiyas as "habaabi", would suggest that it is maybe a convenient term applied to Yemeni/Saudia jambiya, which can not more accurately be placed to other centres of making.
I personally do not think that this Jambiya could possibly be of Omani manufacture, as the silver decoration (apart from the scabbard toe) does not show the typical scroll silverwork of most Omani Khanjars, and the hilt is definitely not in the typical Omani style.
I draw this conclusion from a website which I can not mention here, but you will know what I mean.
Regards Stu

[A.alnakkas]

I like this piece but I think it have lost its rings?

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by A.alnakkas

I like this piece but I think it have lost its rings?

Yes very likely.....

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Salaams Ibrahiim,
I think that to tie an item down as being Habaabi is perhaps being a little too definite. You have stated elsewhere that these COULD have come from as far away as Asir, a distance of some 1000km, which indicates to me at least, that it COULD have originated from almost anywhere in the west of the Arabian Peninsula.
The fact (as you say) that Omanis refer to these particular Jambiyas as "habaabi", would suggest that it is maybe a convenient term applied to Yemeni/Saudia jambiya, which can not more accurately be placed to other centres of making.
I personally do not think that this Jambiya could possibly be of Omani manufacture, as the silver decoration (apart from the scabbard toe) does not show the typical scroll silverwork of most Omani Khanjars, and the hilt is definitely not in the typical Omani style.
I draw this conclusion from a website which I can not mention here, but you will know what I mean.
Regards Stu

Salaams kahnjar1~ I can tell you this is a baffling piece. You are right about the toe... Its Omani. The tube shaped wrap on the Hilt is Omani... I reckon off a Royal Khanjar. The silver on the cuff matches the silver on the throat of the Scabbard... Its Omani and linked in style to the tubular ring. The floral buttons on the hilt are either from the Habaabi style or straight from a Royal Omani Khanjar. The blade looks Omani. The Scabbard though two rings are missing looks Omani. The Rhino perhaps off another dagger.

I think the initial assessment is wrong .. but it was close !

What you have here is an Omani Khanjar probably used by the Jebali of Salalah (Dhofar) stripped back to the leather at the scabbard minus a couple of rings perhaps with a toe added from another Khanjar and a Rhino hilt from?? Yemen...Unless it is the Rhino hilt of an original Royal Omani Khanjar with all or much of the silver adornment removed; which would explain the central silver tubular ring and the floral decoration. Could we in fact be looking at the remains of an entire 7 ringer Omani Royal Khanjar?

This is typical of the Salalah mish-mash style but does not distract from the aesthetics of this piece This is typically what the Salalah dagger can go through as it is personalised or customised down the ages.

Habaabi is definitely a term to describe Yemeni weapons of the nature already described and similar to the Omani Muscat Style likely because of the trade linkage to that region. Currently it is hugely difficult to visit the area otherwise I would be there in a flash as the region has some fascinating history. I will see if the Muscat museums can throw some more light into that dark corner.

If you are able to say that the item was from a Salalah source it will give an added pointer to where we should be looking?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams kahnjar1~ I can tell you this is a baffling piece. You are right about the toe... Its Omani. The tube shaped wrap on the Hilt is Omani... I reckon off a Royal Khanjar. The silver on the cuff matches the silver on the throat of the Scabbard... Its Omani and linked in style to the tubular ring. The floral buttons on the hilt are either from the Habaabi style or straight from a Royal Omani Khanjar. The blade looks Omani. The Scabbard though two rings are missing looks Omani. The Rhino perhaps off another dagger.

I think the initial assessment is wrong .. but it was close !

What you have here is an Omani Khanjar probably used by the Jebali of Salalah (Dhofar) stripped back to the leather at the scabbard minus a couple of rings perhaps with a toe added from another Khanjar and a Rhino hilt from?? Yemen...Unless it is the Rhino hilt of an original Royal Omani Khanjar with all or much of the silver adornment removed; which would explain the central silver tubular ring and the floral decoration. Could we in fact be looking at the remains of an entire 7 ringer Omani Royal Khanjar?

This is typical of the Salalah mish-mash style but does not distract from the aesthetics of this piece This is typically what the Salalah dagger can go through as it is personalised or customised down the ages.

Habaabi is definitely a term to describe Yemeni weapons of the nature already described and similar to the Omani Muscat Style likely because of the trade linkage to that region. Currently it is hugely difficult to visit the area otherwise I would be there in a flash as the region has some fascinating history. I will see if the Muscat museums can throw some more light into that dark corner.

If you are able to say that the item was from a Salalah source it will give an added pointer to where we should be looking?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Salaams Ibrahiim,
Not sure that I entirely agree with what you say here.
Firstly this Jambiya was acquired in the U.K so that is not going to help much.
Yes the scabbard toe is likely Nizwa Omani.
Your other comments to me do not ring true. To my knowledge, and I stand to be corrected, is that apart from the Saidi (Royal) Khanjar, most, if not all Omani Khanjars do NOT tend to have the central wrap on the hilt, however MANY Yemeni styles do. There is no way IMHO that this is (as you put it) a "stripped down" Saidi Khanjar, as the hilt shape is all wrong at the top.
Your latest suggestion of Salalah as a possible origin, seems to me to make more sense, as it is very near the Yemeni Hadraumauti border, and I have it on good authority that there are many "cross/culture " pieces to be seen there.
As far as there being only two rings, I would agree that it is likely that the other two and the wire binding are missing, and probably have been for a very long time. The rings by the way are brass or bronze, not silver, though they are of typical cross section shape (not round section).
Regards Stu

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Salaams Ibrahiim,
Not sure that I entirely agree with what you say here.
Firstly this Jambiya was acquired in the U.K so that is not going to help much.
Yes the scabbard toe is likely Nizwa Omani.
Your other comments to me do not ring true. To my knowledge, and I stand to be corrected, is that apart from the Saidi (Royal) Khanjar, most, if not all Omani Khanjars do NOT tend to have the central wrap on the hilt, however MANY Yemeni styles do. There is no way IMHO that this is (as you put it) a "stripped down" Saidi Khanjar, as the hilt shape is all wrong at the top.
Your latest suggestion of Salalah as a possible origin, seems to me to make more sense, as it is very near the Yemeni Hadraumauti border, and I have it on good authority that there are many "cross/culture " pieces to be seen there.
As far as there being only two rings, I would agree that it is likely that the other two and the wire binding are missing, and probably have been for a very long time. The rings by the way are brass or bronze, not silver, though they are of typical cross section shape (not round section).
Regards Stu

Salaams kahnjar1 I agree with much of your post however, I think the provenance is mixed(as it is with many Omani Khanjars particularly Salalah items) Lets look at this stripped down;
1. Hilt Rhino ~ Could be the Habaabi hilt. Agreed that the pommel configuration is too "Tee Shaped" to be Saidia Royal Style. It could be from another Omani Khanjar see the attached Tee Shaped Dagger. It could also be off a Muscat Khanjar.
2. The big hilt ring... This is off a Royal Omani Hilt for sure...
3. The Cuff silver same geometry as 2 above ... same source.
4. The Throat silver.. 2 and 3 above same source off the Royal weapon.
5. Toe This is off some other Omani Khanjar not the royal style. I have seen a lot of flat ended toe units on Omani Khanjars. Probably Nizwa.
6. Rings ... Not silver but still in the style of Omani and may be from the original scabbard. Two rings missing.
7. The Floral shapes on the hilt... Probably off the same Royal hilt as the other silver work... Same decorative items are on the Habaabi but the chances are this is ex Royal Khanjar silver.

So over-all I reckon mainly taken from a Royal Khanjar but used in Salalah and worn by the Jebali who straddle the border whose relatives are on both sides. It may also be from one of the other Bedu groups around there. Salalah for certain.

Heres a puzzle photo below from which some of the answers may be gleaned ~ I will post on The Omani Khanjar later ... This one is from the TRM(Tareq Rajeb Museum) in Kuwait. Not a common Omani style I have to say.... similar to one I have seen in Mussandam and other similarities with the classic form of Muscat Khanjar...and Royal variety.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.