The modern Omani khanjar

 

Contemporary Omani khanjar makers have a different approach from traditional khanjar makers; they merge or mix the specifications of more than one type of khanjars to create novel types that do not belong to known typographies. The old generation of khanjar makers is nonetheless still committed to maintaining custom and never deviate from the traditional specifications identified above.

Still younger khanjar makers have adopted a more spirited approach than their parent craftsmen. The following examples illustrate the forms modern Omani khanjars may take.

Client specifications, the impact of commodity culture and the collapse of tradition

Contemporary Khanjar owners commission khanjar makers to make khanjars such as those that follow which operate within the typology of forms but which are regulated by the desire for decoration rather than the need for geographical identity. The khanjar has begun to detach itself from tradition and region and is becoming a sign for Omani national identity.

 

Contemporary pan-Omani khanjars

1. Customer driven design. A khanjar with two handles

Khanjar with two handles

i.              Handle: This type is characterised by having two handles of different types and shapes. The reason for the existence of two handles in this khanjar is the desire of the owner to replace the handle when he wears it on different occasions. The main specifications are:

·         First handle (Al Saidi): The handle is covered with al tikasir silver design carvings over the entire top and down towards the beginning of the ferrule with the edges without designs in the silver, revealing the handle’s material (black plastic).

Al Saidi style khanjar handle

·         Second Design (Al Batini): This handle design made from white plastic. It is decorated with very thin nails with accurate Islamic patterning. The ferrule traditionally should be engraved in al qalia style, but this ferrule is marked with al tikasir engravings even though that style is traditionally reserved for the Al Saidi style only.

Al Batini handle style khanjar

ii.            Scabbard upper cover: The designs design on the scabbard upper cover area comes with al tikasir designs, and the silver overlays black plastic to harmonise between the scabbard upper cover and both handles when replacing one with the other.

Scabbard upper cover with al tikasir design

iii.           Belt holder: There are four rings in the belt holder. Also featuring in this khanjar are the two rings on the outside with the conical head shape. All four rings have been formed in a way known locally as mahious or maftool, the form of which can only be found in new khanjars.

 

Belt holder with twisted rings of Al Saidi khanjar

 

2.  Craftsman embellishment. The loss of traditionally specific style

The following khanjar specifications reveal how new generation khanjar makers neglect traditional decorative practices in order to make their work more desirable in a commodity market disconnected from regional cultural practice. The following khanjar combines the styles of Al Saidi, Al Batini, and Al Suri khanjars.

Contemporary khanjar design

i.              Handle: The handle is made from wood, and it is decorated in Islamic patterns with very thin nails that are similar to Al Batini handles, while the al tikasir silver ferrule design is usually associated with the Al Saidi khanjar (specifically the third design mentioned previously).

 

Al Batini style handle design

i.              Scabbard upper cover: The design on the upper scabbard area is al tikasir style following Al Saidi principles. However, the designs in the form of a set of parallel straight lines also have al qala elements with additional wavy lines, all combined for aesthetic purposes.

Scabbard upper cover with al tikasir design

ii.            Belt holder: There are four rings in the belt holder. As in the previous example above, this is a new design and has no roots in tradition practices.

Belt holder with twisted rings