A single hand forged knife worth more than Dh800,000 is set to showcase Al Ain’s five millennia old history at this year’s Abu Dhabi International Hunting And Equestrian Exhibition.
The 100 kilogrammes plus creation, which took more than 18 months to make, will be Tamreen General Trading’s 2026 flagship display as it traces the region’s history from the Stone Age through to the Bronze and Iron ages, and right up to the present day.
But instead of simply depicting the falaj, the subterranean irrigation system which underpins the Al Ain oases, the company decided to capture the essence of the entire region’s archaeological heritage in a single creation, said general manager Mohammed Al Amiri.
Researchers and craftsmen visited a number of heritage sites and museums in the emirate to get design inspiration, including ancient engraved seals, part of which have been recreated in the knives’ Damascus-steel blades.
The knife’s silhouette mirrors the falaj system itself: a sculpted form evokes mountains and water sources, with channels running toward the ‘sharia’ outlet before reaching the oasis, farms and gardens the falaj once sustained.
A recessed section stands in for stored water, while the surrounding contours echo Al Ain’s dunes and mountain terrain. Materials were chosen to mark different eras — stone for the Stone Age, copper for the Bronze Age, and iron alongside Damascus steel for later periods — including a stone blade mounted in copper.
Al Amiri noted that assembling the multi-metal Damascus blade was the most technically demanding stage, requiring several forged pieces to be combined into a single pattern.
Despite the intricate craftsmanship, he emphasised the knife remains fully functional rather than ornamental.
Tamreen has released a themed historical knife annually since 2022, previous editions honouring falconry, Fujairah’s Bronze Age heritage and the UAE’s desert landscape.
The firm, exhibiting at the Abu Dhabi show since 2007, is also presenting over 2,000 knife models and three new designs this year.
