My Jambiya [need help]

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

A NICE DAGGER BUT DON'T OVERLOOK THE BELT WITH IT. IT APPEARS TO BE OF VERY GOOD WORKMANSHIP WITH LOTS OF FANCY AND BEAUTIFUL DECORATION.
THE OLD ONES MADE BY HAND ARE WORKS OF ART IN THEMSELVES. I DON'T KNOW IF MORE MODERN ONES ARE MADE BY MACHINE OR BY HAND THESE DAYS BUT THE BELT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SET (DAGGER AND BELT) AND NO DOUBT SHOWS STATUS AND DENOTES WEALTH AS WELL AS BEING USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL IN SOME CASES. IN SOME OF THE OLD ONES SILVER AND GOLD WIRE WAS USED TO MAKE SOME OF THE DECORATION. DOES ANYONE HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION OR KNOW THE NAME OF THESE BELTS.?

Hi Barry,
I can find no actual name for the belts though I suspect that there is one. Forum Member "Steve" is the most like source of further info on these but I believe that he is travelling at present. Some earlier daggers are known to have had belts added in much more modern times so the age of the 2 may be considerably different.
The attached pic is of one of these, which I have on the way. When it arrives I will post better pics, but the belt is known to be a much later addition. Earlier belts in my experience were of leather rather than the later fabric embroidered (either machine or hand) ones.
Stu

[Devadatta]

I guess the name for a belt is Hizam, anyone agree?

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by Devadatta

I guess the name for a belt is Hizam, anyone agree?

I can find reference to a belt being called Hizam in Sudan, but not in Arabia. I would expect that there is a specific name for a Jambiya belt, and that it is very likely to differ depending on the particular region, as with many things on the Arabian Peninsula.
Regards Stu
Further to the above after a bit more research, it would appear that the term HIZAM is also used in Yemen.
Attached is a link reference which I think will be interesting as it comments on the present situation re Jambiya belts in general.
http://www.yobserver.com/culture-and.../10018119.html

[Alvaro]

so , whats more important for the yemeni men
is wealth based on the belt or more on the dagger itself?

[lindylars]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

...Further to the above after a bit more research, it would appear that the term HIZAM is also used in Yemen...

Like Stu mentioned earlier - I checked with my Yemeni friends and they said that "hizam" applies to both the belts for jambiya as well as generic belts.

They also mentioned that in practice the hizam have their own pricing scheme and CAN cost more than the jambiya itself...never having been to/lived in Yemen myself, nor never having seen my friends in Yemen I can't attest to whether or not they had a "regular" jambiya/hizam, "formal" jambiya/hizam or if some guys had one-hizam-fits-all jambiyas owned, etc.

I would assume that, like any other accessory, this would depend on personal taste/station/occasion (although I guarantee you that any self-respecting Yemeni male would only refer to a jambiya as a necessity vs. accessory).

Regards,
Ron

[Michael Blalock]

Here is a web page describing the tablet woven belts.

http://www.lindahendrickson.com/yeme...-main-page.htm

[Alvaro]

''There are several theories about the origin of the Jambia. There are historical facts, concerning the existence of the Jambia revealling that it used to be worn at Sheban times, in the Himiarite kingdom. They take the statue of the Sheban king (Madi Karb 500 bc ) as proof. This statue, which was discovered by an American mission in Marib in the 1950s, was found to be wearing a Jambia.''

I can't find a picture of this person, can anyone translate Madi Karb back in arabic? Maybe it will be easier to find a picture of him

[Devadatta]

This person is shown at yemeni 50 rial banknote

Actually I saw somewhere at the web a very good photo of this statue with dagger very well seen. But I don't remember the source

You can see something at the left side of his belt reminding of a dagger



But it's shown much better at the original statue

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by Devadatta

I guess the name for a belt is Hizam, anyone agree?

Correct... Hizzam...Belt.

[kahnjar1]

Originally Posted by kahnjar1

Hi Barry,
I can find no actual name for the belts though I suspect that there is one. Forum Member "Steve" is the most like source of further info on these but I believe that he is travelling at present. Some earlier daggers are known to have had belts added in much more modern times so the age of the 2 may be considerably different.
The attached pic is of one of these, which I have on the way. When it arrives I will post better pics, but the belt is known to be a much later addition. Earlier belts in my experience were of leather rather than the later fabric embroidered (either machine or hand) ones.
Stu

This has now arrived and I have removed the belt so that it can be seen clearer.
In my opinion it is machine made as opposed to hand sewn. As you can see, the stitching on the back is too straight and even to be hand done. The Arabic I expect is a Koranic verse.
Regards Stu

[Michael Blalock]

Here are some images of ancient south arabian swords and the statue discussed above. I especially like the one with the man with two bulls heads. I found it recently in some pictures taken at a Yemeni museum.