Fake khanjars

 

The Omani khanjar is a symbol and an identity of the country and it is recognised by khanjar makers and specialists. It is also characterised by the specific criteria of the Public Authority for Craft Industries, Ministry of Heritage and Culture, and Ministry of Trade and Industry, under the Royal Decree No. (87/1) which was released on 01/03/1978 and adopted in 2007 under the name of "Standard of Omani Khanjar". The standard was modified in 2013 within the framework of the Sultanate's keenness to preserve the legacies of authenticity and tradition and documenting those legacies, and determining the specifications and conditions of operation for the protection of inputs that may affect the distinctive character of Oman.

In the late twentieth century, some khanjars alien to Omani society and not characterised by the Omani khanjar specifications began to appear and formed a threat to the identity of Oman. Characterised by a counterfeit substance made of light copper, these khanjars nonetheless have designs close to those found on real Omani khanjar as well as Islamic and Omani decorations that are usually found in the authentic Omani khanjars.

The government is making visible efforts to combat the sale and spread of counterfeit khanjars that are sold in some local shops and imported from some Asian countries. There are other features that characterise fake khanjars. They share all sorts of specifications with the Omani khanjars, making it difficult for many to distinguish between the original and fake khanjar. Unfortunately we find some young people acquiring and wearing such fake khanjar on different occasions and most of these people do not have the experience and expertise in the Omani khanjar especially the modern generation of young people.

These two photos illustrate the difference between the original Omani khanjar with the correct standard specifications and a fake khanjar:

 

On the left is a fake khanjar and on the right is the original Al Saidi Khanjar

Fake khanjar