Thread: Jambiya from?
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Old 17th June 2021, 12:57 PM   #23
Saracen
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Jambiyas are known in Western India, but as far as I know, they did not spread beyond the nearest points to the Arabian Peninsula in India, places of active trade: Gujarat and the coast of present-day Pakistan (Sindh, which is sometimes called the "Gateway of Islam", it is believed that the spread of Islam in India began from this place).
Indian jambias are shown in Elgood's book "The Arms and Armour of Arabia". They are of the Yemeni type and have their own regional features: the blade with a pronounced central rib does not differ from the Yemeni ones, the hilt with a wide ring in the center and the spherical end of the scabbard.
And they are often made of gold-plated copper. But I have never seen Indian jambiyas like "Omani khanjar". Tim, it seems to me that the tradition of wearing and making jambiyas has not spread in India beyond Gujarat.
Today, they can be produced anywhere as a souvenir, but it still seems to me more likely that yours was produced in the north-west of India, including Pakistan (Pakistan was part of British India until 1947).
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