Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


49 - Southern Iraqi Jambiya Dagger with Sheath, 20th Century

The curved double edged blade measures 8¼ inches (21 cm) in a straight line from the mid rib where the blade joins the hilt to the tip. There is patchy discoloration and mild to focally moderate pitting of the otherwise bright surface is present. The blade is slightly bent in places as seen on edge and there is focal blunting of the edge. The mid rib is moderately and crisply raised, usually not a feature in the blades formed by fusing two stamped sheet metal halves together, but some irregularities in the surface raise concern for either that manner of construction or else there as been imperfect smoothing of forging marks. The hilt of very dark water buffalo horn has been very well formed; there are fine narrow longitudinal cracks following the grain of the horn that appear to be relatively stable and non-distracting. The overall length of the dagger is 14¼ inches (36.3 cm) with a weight of 7 ounces (199 grams). The dagger is accompanied by a wooden sheath covered with brown leather that has been embossed on one side. Within the sheath, overall length is 14¾ inches (38 cm) with a weight of 8½ ounces (242 grams).


Southern Iraqi Jambiya Dagger

Southern Iraqi Jambiya Dagger

Southern Iraqi Jambiya Dagger



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