Legend of the Jerz

The men of the Shihuh tribe carried the jerz, a small axe-head on a long stick. They used the
implement for many purposes — it chopped the firewood, provided the grip for climbing and
came in handy as a walking stick to step over the stones. To complement the jerz they also
carried the special khasabi knife called the peshak. There is nothing on record to support the
origins of the jerz. | How did the people of this region come to own this finely decorated hatchet? Was it brought to
the shores of Musandam by sailors from other lands or was it picked up by the people of
Musandam in the course of voyages down the Arabian Gulf and out into the Indian Ocean? Or
was it developed by an artistic smith keen to showcase his skills as a good metal worker and
an artist? The antecedents of the jerz are covered in mist. —Legend of the Jerz (Sultinate of Oman)

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