The national emblem of Oman () is Khanjar Bo Sayfain, an insignia consisting of a ''
khanjar
A ''khanjar'' ( ar, خنجر, ku, Xencer, bn, খঞ্জর, khôñjôr tr, Hançer, fa, خنجر, ur, خنجر, sh, Handžar) is a traditional dagger originating from Oman, although it has since spread to the rest of the Middle Eas ...
'' inside its
sheath that is superimposed upon two crossed swords. Adopted in the 18th century as the badge of the
Omani royal family, it subsequently became the
national emblem
A national emblem is an emblem or seal that is reserved for use by a nation state or multi-national state as a symbol of that nation. Many nations have a seal or emblem in addition to a national flag
A national flag is a flag that represents ...
of the Sultanate of
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 ...
. The emblem is featured at the
canton on the
Flag of Oman
The national flag of Oman ( ar, علم عُمان) consists of three stripes (white, green and red) with a red bar on the left that contains the national emblem of Oman (Dagger and two swords).
Until 1975, Oman used the plain red banner of the ...
.
History
The national emblem was first designed in the mid-18th century, when it was adopted as the royal crest of the
Al Said dynasty
The House of Busaid (, ), also known as Al Said dynasty, is the current ruling royal house of the Oman, and former ruling royal house of the Omani Empire (from 1744 to 1856), Sultanate of Muscat and Oman (1856 to 1970) and the Sultanate of Zan ...
.
Its usage was expanded when it subsequently became the national emblem of
the sultanate. This occurred during the reign of either
Faisal bin Turki (1888–1913) or
Taimur bin Feisal
Al-Wasik Billah al-Majid Sheikh Taimur bin Faisal bin Turki, KCIE, CSI (1886 – 28 January 1965) ( ar, تيمور بن فيصل بن تركي) was the sultan of Muscat and Oman from 5 October 1913 to 10 February 1932. He was born at Muscat an ...
(1913–1932).
[ ] The emblem was later incorporated onto the canton of the country's
national flag in 1970.
[ Moreover, in order to distinguish "directly royal entities"][ and create a distinct symbol for these organizations, a crown was added to the top of the national emblem. This modified insignia is utilized on the badges of all branches of Sultan's Armed Forces, including the Royal Army, ]Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
, Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
, Royal Guard
A royal guard is a group of military bodyguards, soldiers or armed retainers responsible for the protection of a royal person, such as the emperor or empress, king or queen, or prince or princess. They often are an elite unit of the regular arm ...
, and Royal Oman Police
The Royal Oman Police (ROP), also known as Oman Police ( ar, شرطة عمان السلطانية), is the main law and order agency for the Sultanate of Oman. It maintains a helicopter fleet and also carries on the duties of safeguarding the long ...
– among many others.[
]
Design
Symbolism
According to the Omani Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ''khanjar
A ''khanjar'' ( ar, خنجر, ku, Xencer, bn, খঞ্জর, khôñjôr tr, Hançer, fa, خنجر, ur, خنجر, sh, Handžar) is a traditional dagger originating from Oman, although it has since spread to the rest of the Middle Eas ...
'' – along with the two crossed swords – symbolize the historic weapons utilized by the people of Oman. They are attached together by an embellished aist belt with its Khanjar at the centre.ref name=complete/> The ''khanjar'' itself 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 the sultanate, and is still worn by Omani men as a "ceremonial dagger" for formal occasions.
Legal protection
Under a Royal Decree issued in 2004, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry A Ministry of Trade and Industry, Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry or variations is a ministry that is concerned with a nation's trade, industry and commerce.
Notable examples are:
List
*Algeria: Ministry of Industry and ...
is required to give authorization before any merchandise – both domestic and foreign imports – is allowed to depict the national emblem.[
]
See also
*Flag of Oman
The national flag of Oman ( ar, علم عُمان) consists of three stripes (white, green and red) with a red bar on the left that contains the national emblem of Oman (Dagger and two swords).
Until 1975, Oman used the plain red banner of the ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Emblem Of Oman
National symbols of Oman
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...