Omani Dagger a.k.a. Khanjar

Our taxi tour in Oman took us by the Sultan’s palace. There wasn’t much to do except look at the gates and the tall walls.

As you can see, the Sultan’s shield includes a crown, and two crossed swords topped by a curved dagger.

That curved dagger is called a “khanjar,” and is one of the most important symbols of this nation.

The khanjar is featured on Oman’s flag, money, and official seals on important documents.

Long ago, Omani men wore a khanjar on a belt around their waists, over the traditional white long dishdasha (the long-sleeved robe they wear day to day) in case they needed to defend themselves. Nowadays, men only wear khanjars on special occasions, such as weddings.

Our friend, Tom, happened upon a big wedding while wandering about Salalah today. Not only did they invite him to enjoy some food, but they posed for photos while wearing their khanjars. (Tom said he will email me a photo of the men wearing their daggers. When he does, I will add that photo to this post.)Read more