The Omani Khanjar

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

It is indeed. There in lies the puzzle on zraf al hindi or zaraf al Hindi. Its not some weird Indian antelope or deer>>>though they are related ~millions of years ago ..

I researched this oddity years ago and came to a dead halt as the reason seemed to point that giraffe were used for their horn although the smoke screen thickened to giraffe hoof horn !! aha!!! but that was all bull (scuse pun) as it turns out the whats in a word has had the last laugh... but not any more!!

Zraf al Hindi is African Giraffe!!

The head and horns shown above are from male African giraffe which goes by the Arabic name zraf al hindi. moreover the horns are as below~

see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossicone

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Thus ;
1. That the African Rhino (ar. Zraf al Afrique) is closely mirrored in the weapon the Omani Khanjar in a number of parts; the hilt, the silver pins, the scabbard, the blade and the use of the Terrs shield as below~

The hilt being the Rhino horn preferred traditionally and hunted by Omani traders for hundreds of years and through the vast Zanzibar hub. This is the preferred hilt for all Royal Khanjars (al bussaidi) even though most or all of the hilt is adorned in silver. and always was the first choice in any Omani Khanjar of quality. The beauty in the material is in its ease of accepting masses of silver pins and in the translucent nature of the material which nothing as yet is able to imitate. The main factor however in my view is that this is from the great powerful rhino itself.. The weapons hilt derived from the rhino main armament!

The Blade. shaped like the rhino main horn, slightly less turned than the Yemeni equivalent but a strong defensive weapon worn not at the side but front and centre as is the Rhino Horn.

Scabbard. the Scabbard appears even more so as a copy of the Rhino Horn curving in the same shape but way more than the blade though not monumental as in the Yemeni variant.

The Pins the pins appear to reflect the tubed or spaghetti ends of the rhino horn and light is reflected through and from them in the same way. The silver pins are not apparent in other Omani weapons... Only on the khanjar and mainly in the hilt. Silver pins are used en masse on Rhino Hilts which unlike other materials like cow horn or wood does not have a tendency to split on their use...

The Terrs Shield. This goes together with a number of weapons in the Omani arsenal including the Omani battle sword and the Omani Sayf however, it appears in the funoon (The traditions) in its own right as alongside the Omani khanjar in dance such as the baraa
The terrs can appear in a couple of materials even in wood and one I saw in woven straw ...another said to be from a barking sea dog;...the Walrus. But it is most famously known as being from Rhino Hide.
This product was hunted and traded in the same network via Zanzibar and from African Rhino. In those days it made sense to fight behind a shield which had been taken from such a powerful animal as the Rhino and is entirely in line with the application of this apparent mirroring in Omani Khanjar design with the African Rhino.

Thus with 5 reasons above I believe there is every reason to believe the Rhino and the Omani Khanjar are inextricably linked .. a Rhino Dagger by everything but name!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

in addition to the proof above I wish to add a couple of other indicators under the headings for 1 below The Rhino Hide and for 2 below The Terrs Shield thus giving 6 factors linking the Omani Khanjar and Rhino~

1. Regarding the expanse of usually black leather below the belt on Dhakiliyyah(interior) Omani Khanjars a device not usually seen on Yemeni Jambia which I suggest is a reflection of Rhino hide. Actually all Omani Khanjars (and Emirati) have leather below the belt on the scabbard although on non Dhakiliyyah (and Emirati) weapons the leather covering the scabbard is almost always totally covered in silver stitched decoration. I believe the use of leather in construction is a recognition pointing to the great beast for its strength and power.

2. Staying with the general theme of leather but this time observing the strange pointed hat shaped silver covers usually seen on the two outer belt rings on the Scabbard. See the diagram at thread The Omani Khanjar of the parts/Omani names and see the name given to these tiny shapes...Terrs!! ...in recognition of the Rhino again ...of its thick skin shield The Terrs ..worn with the dagger and Omani Swords.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

From library some back up evidence for the above proof>