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A ''khanjar'' ( ar, خنجر, ku, Xencer, bn, খঞ্জর, khôñjôr tr, Hançer, fa, خنجر, ur, خنجر, sh, Handžar) is a traditional dagger originating from
Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of ...
, although it has since spread to the rest of the Middle East, South Asia, and the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
. Worn by men for ceremonial occasions, it is a short curved sword shaped like the letter "J" and resembles a hook. It can be made from a variety of different materials, depending on the quality of its craftsmanship. It is a popular souvenir among tourists and is sold in souqs throughout the region. A national symbol of the sultanate, the ''khanjar'' is featured on Oman's national emblem and on the Omani rial. It also features in logos and commercial imagery by companies based in Oman.


History

Although it is not known when the Omani ''khanjar'' was first created, rock carvings epitomizing the dagger were found on gravestones located in the central part of the Ru’us al Jibal region. These are believed to have predated the
Wahhabi Wahhabism ( ar, ٱلْوَهَّابِيَةُ, translit=al-Wahhābiyyah) is a Sunni Islamic revivalist and fundamentalist movement associated with the reformist doctrines of the 18th-century Arabian Islamic scholar, theologian, preacher, an ...
revival, which occurred in the late 1700s. They were also mentioned in an account by Robert Padbrugge of the Dutch Republic, who journeyed to
Muscat Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was ...
in June 1672. The
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
spread further the use of this type of knife. In the
Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
, where it was known as ''Handschar'', such knives were regularly carried by Ottoman policemen, and it remained in local use also after the end of Ottoman rule. During the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, the knife's name was bestowed on the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian), composed of
Bosnian Muslims The Bosniaks ( bs, Bošnjaci, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia, which is today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who share a common Bosnian ancestry, cu ...
(ethnic Bosniaks) with some Catholic
Croat The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Ge ...
soldiers, the knife also appeared on the division's emblem. The word خنجر appears to be the arabized version of the Persian word خونگر.


Usage and symbolism


Composition and manufacturing

Depending on the quality of its craftsmanship, the Omani ''khanjar'' can be made using a variety of different metals and other materials. Gold or silver would be used to make ''khanjar'' of the finest quality (e.g. for royalty), while
brass Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...
and copper would be used for daggers made by local craftsmen. For instance, a sheath adorned with gold was historically limited to the Omani upper class. White or Ivory handled and sheathed ones are preferred by the Sayyids or
Hashemites The Hashemites ( ar, الهاشميون, al-Hāshimīyūn), also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921� ...
symbolising their status in society. ''Najeeb Altarfayn Saadah'' in Oman and Arabia usually carry two of them. Traditionally, the dagger is designed by its future owner himself, with the craftsman taking into account the "specifications" and "preferences" stipulated by the former. The time it takes to manufacture a ''khanjar'' can range from three weeks to several months. The most elemental sections of the ''khanjar'' are its handle and blade, with the material used in the former playing a significant role influencing the final price of the dagger.
Rhinoceros horn A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
and
ivory Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals i ...
were once the common standard, as it was "considered the best material" to make the hilt out of. However, with the international ban on the ivory trade and rhinoceros horn, the usage of other materials such as wood, plastic, and camel bone has become more prevalent. Typically, the top of the hilt is flat, but the one designed for the royal family is in the shape of a cross.


Custom

The Omani ''khanjar'' is tucked underneath a waist belt and is situated at the front and centre of the wearer's body. It used to form part of everyday attire; however, it is now carried as a "ceremonial dagger", and worn only for formal events and ceremonies – such as weddings, parades, meetings, and diplomatic functions – among many other occasions. Labelled a "ubiquitous sign of masculinity" by John M. Willis in ''The Arab Studies Journal'', the ''khanjar'' is a symbol of "manhood, power and authority", as well as serving as a status symbol for the person wearing it. As a result, it is sometimes given by families to their sons when they reach adolescence, and is a common wedding gift to the groom. Although the ''khanjar'' was originally created as a weapon to attack and defend, it is used solely for ceremonial and practical purposes today. The latter situation would occur in the desert, where it is used as a tool for hunting and skinning animals, as well as for slicing ropes. Because of this development, it is now considered a "social taboo" in Oman to pull out one's ''khanjar'' from its
scabbard A scabbard is a sheath for holding a sword, knife, or other large blade. As well, rifles may be stored in a scabbard by horse riders. Military cavalry and cowboys had scabbards for their saddle ring carbine rifles and lever-action rifles on the ...
without blooding it, since the only time men would do this would be to seek vengeance or to defend oneself.


Distribution

While the ''khanjar'' is most prevalent in
Yemen Yemen (; ar, ٱلْيَمَن, al-Yaman), officially the Republic of Yemen,, ) is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southern end of the Arabian Peninsula, and borders Saudi Arabia to the Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, north and ...
where the majority of the Northern men wear it every day. In Oman it is given its symbolic status there, it is also worn by men in the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
, forming an integral component of "traditional dress" in those countries. It can also be found and is sold in other states in
Eastern Arabia Eastern Arabia, historically known as al-Baḥrayn ( ar, البحرين) until the 18th century, is a region stretched from Basra to Khasab along the Persian Gulf coast and included parts of modern-day Bahrain, Kuwait, Eastern Saudi Arabia, Unite ...
, such as the Souq Waqif in
Doha Doha ( ar, الدوحة, ad-Dawḥa or ''ad-Dōḥa'') is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor, it is home to most of the count ...
, Qatar. The ''khanjar'' is a popular keepsake among tourists, and is the Sultanate's best-selling memento.


Other uses


Official government

As the ''khanjar'' is a
national symbol A national symbol is a symbol of any entity considering and manifesting itself to the world as a national community: the sovereign states but also nations and countries in a state of colonial or other dependence, federal integration, or even an e ...
of Oman, it is featured on the sultanate's national emblem. It has been a symbol on the royal crest of the Al Said dynasty since the 18th century, which subsequently became the national emblem. It is also depicted on the Omani rial – the country's currency – specifically on the one rial note, as well as on postage stamps issued by the sultanate. Furthermore, there are statues of ''khanjar'' on buildings housing
government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
ministries and at various roundabouts throughout the country.


Commercial

The ''khanjar'' was previously shown prominently on the logo and planes of Oman Air – the country's
flag carrier A flag carrier is a transport company, such as an airline or shipping company, that, being locally registered in a given sovereign state, enjoys preferential rights or privileges accorded by the government for international operations. Hi ...
– until it was removed under a rebranding in 2008. The logo of Omantel also illustrates a stylized khanjar; it was retained in the logotype's motif after the telecommunications company merged with Oman Mobile in 2010. Moreover, the perfume company
Amouage Amouage is an international luxury fragrance brand founded in 1983 in Oman and operated by the Oman Perfumery LLC, a subsidiary of the Omani SABCO Group. History The company was founded, at the request of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said, in 19 ...
, which is owned by the Sultan of Oman and his royal family, incorporates the dagger into the design of its bottles. The cap on its ''Gold for Men'' perfume bottle resembles the handle of a ''khanjar'', complementing the ''Gold for Women'' cap which evokes the dome of Ruwi Mosque.


See also

*
Janbiya A jambiya, also spelled janbiya, jambya, jambia and janbia ( ar, جنۢبية ''janbīyah''), is a specific type of dagger with a short curved blade with a medial ridge that originated from the Hadhramaut region of Yemen. They have spread all ov ...
* Khanda *
Firangi ''Firangi'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language historical drama film written and directed by Rajiev Dhingra. It stars Kapil Sharma, who is also the producer, along with Ishita Dutta and Monica Gill. The film was shot primarily in Punjab and ...
* Jile *
Keris The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its dist ...
*
Sabre A sabre ( French: �sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as th ...
*
Pulwar The pulwar or pulouar is a single-handed curved sword originating in Afghanistan. Origin The pulwar originated alongside other scimitar-type weapons such as the Arab saif, the Persian shamshir, the Turkish kilij, and the Indian talwar, all of th ...
*
Shamshir A shamshir ( fa, شمشیر) is a type of Persian/Iranian sword with a radical curve. The name is derived from the Persian word ''shamshīr'', which means "sword". The curved "scimitar" sword family includes the shamshir, kilij, talwar, pulw ...
*
Kilij A kilij (from Turkish ''kılıç'', literally "sword") or a pusat is a type of one-handed, single-edged and moderately curved scimitar used by the Seljuk Empire, Timurid Empire, Mamluk Empire, Ottoman Empire, and other Turkic khanates of Eu ...
* Saif * Zulfiqar


References


External links


Khanjar photos
at Alain-Dailyphoto Blogspot
Press release
showing the ''khanjar'' on Oman Air's old logo {{commons category, Khanjars Omani culture Arab inventions Indo-Persian weaponry Daggers Blade weapons