Rings on Yemeni jambiya: what for?

ariel · 29th April 2014, 04:32 AM

I looked again at Gracie's book. And... I think I might have found the answer:-)

If one looks very,very carefully, many jambiyas worn behind the belt seem to have a set of sturdy staples or even rivets at the junction along the side of the scabbard, implying metal rings underneath the belt. If so, they just created a single piece: belt/scabbard that was worn together as one unit. That assured firm fixation of the scabbard behind the belt and prevented jambiya from being lost. An interesting thing, is that the same feature is present on the belt/scabbard unit dated 1707. So, it is not the feature of the new jambiyas. Perhaps, vice versa, - the old ones.

Still, the last one in my series is puzzling: the rings just stick out behind the scabbard. What were they attached to?

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 29th April 2014, 07:23 AM

Salaams~ Rings on Yemeni and Omani weapons are unrelated. On the former the rings appear as anchor points tie down points onto the belt but on the Omani Khanjar they are huge , frontal and part of the architecture and structure of the scabbard... and may be 4 ringer, two ringer or 7 ringers... In fact the odd variant appears with more than the usual 7 ring maximum on occasions. The Royal Khanjar with 7 rings was redesigned from essentially the 7 ring Muscat Khanjar but beefed up with an Indian style Hilt by Sheherazad the Persian wife of a previous Sultan see.. The Omani Khanjar.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

ariel · 29th April 2014, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams~ Rings on Yemeni and Omani weapons are unrelated. On the former the rings appear as anchor points tie down points onto the belt

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

So, do you think I was right in my suspicion re. staples/rivets attaching the scabbard of the Yemeni jambiya to its belt?

A.alnakkas · 29th April 2014, 02:49 PM

Ariel,

Can you reference the pages on Steve Gracie's book that you have found the jambiyas on? I'll have a look as I have a copy.

Lotfy

ariel · 29th April 2014, 11:05 PM

Hi Lotfy,
Look at pages 66, 84,120,122 ( a good one!), 130 ( tied, not stapled),135, 189 ( riveted).
I might have missed some and erred here and there looking at the pics and not at real things.

There are also some examples where it seems that the belt was slit, forming a "channel" into which the scabbard is tucked in. In these cases it is likely that the scabbard was sewn to one or both flaps of the belt using the rings as anchors, so no staples or rivets were used and the outside of the belt remained undisturbed.

You are in a better position to check the real stuff. Let me know when you find out what is going on.

Michael Blalock · 6th May 2014, 06:55 PM

I know that the jambiyas in northern Yemen usually have a strap on the back side of the belt with the sheath often sewn to the strap though they have rings from time to time. The south Yemen Jambiyas shown in your picture are often just tucked into a twisted sash or worn with a thin belt. I would assume that is why they often have rings. In the 60's the British had outlawed the wearing of Jambiyas in the protectorate so I have only seen photos of this style of Jambiya worn. The Saudi and Mecca style are worn outside the belt in most photos that I have seen, even the Wahabbi style.

Richard G · 8th May 2014, 01:30 PM

Hello,
Here are photo's of the front and back of a Yemeni jambiya attached to its belt. My understanding is that the jambiya is very often bought separately from the belt hence it is logical that the jambiya would be fully finished in it's own right and yet contain the "eyes" necessary to attach to a belt.
Incidentally, I would not be surprised to learn the British banned the jambiya in Aden during the insurgency, but not so sure about the hinterland. British colonial administration was nothing if it was not pragmatic.
I always thought the real ban on the Jambiya was imposed by the NLF Government which followed British withdrawal in 1967 and was part of a deliberate policy to destroy tribal loyalties and identities as they were considered incompatible with loyalty to the Marxist government.
Regards
Richard

29th April 2014, 04:32 AM	#1
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I looked again at Gracie's book. And... I think I might have found the answer:-) If one looks very,very carefully, many jambiyas worn behind the belt seem to have a set of sturdy staples or even rivets at the junction along the side of the scabbard, implying metal rings underneath the belt. If so, they just created a single piece: belt/scabbard that was worn together as one unit. That assured firm fixation of the scabbard behind the belt and prevented jambiya from being lost. An interesting thing, is that the same feature is present on the belt/scabbard unit dated 1707. So, it is not the feature of the new jambiyas. Perhaps, vice versa, - the old ones. Still, the last one in my series is puzzling: the rings just stick out behind the scabbard. What were they attached to? Last edited by ariel; 29th April 2014 at 12:55 PM.

8th May 2014, 01:30 PM	#7
Richard G Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 409	Hello, Here are photo's of the front and back of a Yemeni jambiya attached to its belt. My understanding is that the jambiya is very often bought separately from the belt hence it is logical that the jambiya would be fully finished in it's own right and yet contain the "eyes" necessary to attach to a belt. Incidentally, I would not be surprised to learn the British banned the jambiya in Aden during the insurgency, but not so sure about the hinterland. British colonial administration was nothing if it was not pragmatic. I always thought the real ban on the Jambiya was imposed by the NLF Government which followed British withdrawal in 1967 and was part of a deliberate policy to destroy tribal loyalties and identities as they were considered incompatible with loyalty to the Marxist government. Regards Richard Attached Images

29th April 2014, 07:23 AM	#2
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Salaams~ Rings on Yemeni and Omani weapons are unrelated. On the former the rings appear as anchor points tie down points onto the belt but on the Omani Khanjar they are huge , frontal and part of the architecture and structure of the scabbard... and may be 4 ringer, two ringer or 7 ringers... In fact the odd variant appears with more than the usual 7 ring maximum on occasions. The Royal Khanjar with 7 rings was redesigned from essentially the 7 ring Muscat Khanjar but beefed up with an Indian style Hilt by Sheherazad the Persian wife of a previous Sultan see.. The Omani Khanjar. Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

29th April 2014, 02:49 PM	#4
A.alnakkas Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Kuwait Posts: 1,340	Ariel, Can you reference the pages on Steve Gracie's book that you have found the jambiyas on? I'll have a look as I have a copy. Lotfy

29th April 2014, 11:05 PM	#5
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Hi Lotfy, Look at pages 66, 84,120,122 ( a good one!), 130 ( tied, not stapled),135, 189 ( riveted). I might have missed some and erred here and there looking at the pics and not at real things. There are also some examples where it seems that the belt was slit, forming a "channel" into which the scabbard is tucked in. In these cases it is likely that the scabbard was sewn to one or both flaps of the belt using the rings as anchors, so no staples or rivets were used and the outside of the belt remained undisturbed. You are in a better position to check the real stuff. Let me know when you find out what is going on.

6th May 2014, 06:55 PM	#6
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	I know that the jambiyas in northern Yemen usually have a strap on the back side of the belt with the sheath often sewn to the strap though they have rings from time to time. The south Yemen Jambiyas shown in your picture are often just tucked into a twisted sash or worn with a thin belt. I would assume that is why they often have rings. In the 60's the British had outlawed the wearing of Jambiyas in the protectorate so I have only seen photos of this style of Jambiya worn. The Saudi and Mecca style are worn outside the belt in most photos that I have seen, even the Wahabbi style.