Dh800,000 knife tells Al Ain’s 5,000-year story in steel, bronze and stone

A knife weighing tens of kilograms and valued at more than Dh800,000 has been designed to preserve 5,000 years of Al Ain’s history. Tamreen created the one-off piece for the 2026 Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition.

The design follows the area’s story from the Stone Age through the Bronze and Iron ages to the modern day. It brings together archaeological references, ancient seals and landmarks, while using the falaj irrigation system as the knife’s central structural idea.

Its sculpted form represents the mountains and the water source. Underground channels carry water towards the sharia, where it emerges before feeding the Al Ain Oasis, farms and gardens. A recessed section represents water held in the landscape, while the surrounding structure depicts the area’s dunes and mountains.

The materials also carry historical meanings. Copper represents the Bronze Age, stone refers to the Stone Age, and iron and Damascus steel complete the composition. A piece of stone shaped like an ancient knife is mounted with copper. Patterns on the Damascus-steel blade draw on ancient seals displayed in a museum, including details from both their front and back.

Mohammed Al Amiri, Tamreen General Trading’s general manager, said the company wanted to do more than depict the falaj in a single object. The team visited archaeological sites and museums during more than 18 months of research and development. Forging the blade proved especially difficult because several pieces and different metals had to be combined.

Despite its elaborate appearance, Al Amiri said the knife is functional rather than merely decorative. Tamreen began producing annual historical and concept-driven knives in 2022. Earlier creations drew on falcon culture and the Bronze Age, including Fujairah’s landscape and the more than 600-year-old Al Bidyah Mosque.

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It is a functional knife, not decoration.