Omani Ceremonial Dagger (Khanjar), Circa 1940-1960

Details

Description

Object: Omani ceremonial dagger (khanjar)
Date / Period: c. 1940 – 1960
Origin: Oman / Arabian Peninsula
Materials: Silver (filigree … Read more Object: Omani ceremonial dagger (khanjar)
Date / Period: c. 1940 – 1960
Origin: Oman / Arabian Peninsula
Materials: Silver (filigree and chasing over wood core), leather, and steel
Dimensions: Approx. 12 – 14 in overall
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Description & Analysis
A fine mid-20th-century example of the traditional Omani khanjar, the national symbol of Oman.
The dagger features the characteristic J-shaped scabbard, clad in hand-tooled silver filigree panels of dense floral arabesques. The hilt ferrule and cap are adorned with silver rosettes and twisted-wire ornament, and the grip is formed from black horn or hardwood, flaring outward in the Muscat style.
The curved steel blade is double-edged, polished, and neatly fitted within a leather-covered reverse stitched by hand. Its workmanship aligns with output from Nizwa and Sur silversmiths active before the 1970s. Comparable khanjars appear in the British Museum (Af1955, 13.20) and in Christie’s Art of the Islamic and Indian Worlds sales, 2015 – 2019. See less