Yemen Jambiya?

[Lew]

Steve

That is a really nice bunch of jambiya you have. The silver one on the end is lovely I think it is a Mecca style variation?

Lew

[Steve]

Lew,
Yes, I also think that the silver design on top of the hilt has some Mecca imagery. The dagger is heavy, with chunky silver and has a rural feel about it.
I've attached another photo.
There are many interesting points about this group but one is the other silver hilted dagger. I have seen a few of this style around. The silver is quite thin but of high quality and wears with use very quickly. I think the dagger originated in Assir. However if you look at Elgood p.91/92 I think you can see the same dagger in the Hadramaut in 1943 and if you look at Artzi's home page the same dagger is there with a Mecca style scabbard. I think Artzi's one looks the most natural and is probably closest to it's original format. Unfortunately I can't get a clear close up to really examine the total jambiya. I have attached a small photo from the web page.

Goes to show how these daggers got around - but we are not talking about large distances in the Assir/Yemen area.

Steve

[Oriental-Arms]

Here is a photo of the Mecca style Jambiya reffered to by Steve.





The handle is silver and the pommel is supposedly a presentation of the Kaaba mosque in Mecca. I have however seen similar handles on Yemeni and Hadramout daggers as well (see my comment on the origin of styles below).

More Yemeni Jambiya daggers from our private collection below:





#1) Rhino horn handle with silver fittings
#2) Supposedly Amber handle (need to confirm it)
#3) Whole silver handle, silver scabbard.
#4) Rhino horn handle with silver fittings, silver scabbard.
#5) Rhino horn handle with pierced silver fittings.
#6) Rhino horn handle with silver fittings and colored stone also on the scabbard
#7) Cow horn with silver nails

Regarding # 5 and 7, the size, scabbard style and pierced fittings suggest an Indian origin. May be made in India for export to Arabia or for the use of local wealthy Arab.

To the origin of styles:

The attempt to identify and typify the styles of handle and scabbard to a certain area or origin is a great challenge and I hope someone will do it. Yet I am afraid that styles has been migrated during the last 200 years all over the peninsula, changed blades and scabbards so what we see today is a mix of all styles all over. Best of luck to whoever will challenge it.

[fernando]

Sorry for the intrusion
Looks like this shape is missing here
Isn't it also regularly seen?
Fernando

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[kahnjar1]

This hilt is similar to one posted by Fernando, but the scabbard is entirely different. Translation is makers name and Jeddah 1958. Comments?
Regards Stu

[Steve]

Thanks Artzi, all and any information is helpful. It's interesting to see daggers 3 and 4 used in the Hadrami silver scabbards.
Stu, I have found a jambiya I have which is a little cruder than your one but seems to have similar words written on the reverse of the handle. If you look at the writing you can see similar formations. I am sure there is no date and am guessing that Jedda is not mentioned - but maybe another town. I have included a pic of the dagger and a stamp on the blade (which I think is very unusual) which may indicate Saudi made?

Who did your translation for you? Maybe someone could have a look at mine and give an opinion.
Also, Ferando, I would think the dagger from your post would also have a inscription on the reverse of the handle?

This style dagger with the heavy granulation and two large pins in the hilt is known in Yemen as Hodeida style, from the Tihama plains.
Steve

[kahnjar1]

Hi Steve,
Translation was done by DOM of our Forum in an earlier post re this item. Full translation reads AMAL MOHAMED MIDWANE 1378 (1958AD) JEDDAH. The date is the middle line of 4 symbols.
I do not see any date on yours though.
Stu

[fernando]

Hi Steve

Originally Posted by Steve

... Also, Fernando, I would think the dagger from your post would also have a inscription on the reverse of the handle?...

Thanks for pointing out that these variations are called Hodeida and are provenant from the Tihama plains.
The inscription in the handle reads OMAR ABDALLAH HASSAN. The two first names were translated by fellow member Aqtai and the last one was picked by a Moroccan ex-coleague of mine. It was rather easy for her, as Hassan was precisely her husband's name. There is no date in this example.
But there is an interesting inscription 'hidden' in the handle, near the blade fixation, which could be the silversmith mark (name). Assuming that Yemenite Jews were the traditional specialists in the silver work area, this could (should) be an inscription in the local hebrew version, the so called temani.
Have you ever seen such type of inscription?

Fernando

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