Kurdish OR Albanian Jambiya ???

Aurangzeb · 14th May 2006, 02:19 AM

Hello All!

I just got this lovely jambiya that I think is late 19th or early 20th century. But I chould use some help on identifying the origen of this knife, I think it is either Albanian or Kurdish but I don't know for sure. Any comments are welcome!

Mark...

ariel · 14th May 2006, 02:31 AM

Iraqi, Kurdish.
Albanian (Arnaouti) are distinguished by deep diagonal counterpointing incisions in the inner corners of the handle.
Interestingly, Miller shows an identical one (Hermitage collection) from Georgia.

Aurangzeb · 14th May 2006, 02:36 AM

Hello Ariel!

Thank you for the fast identification! Do you think I have the date right.

Mark...

Battara · 15th May 2006, 07:46 PM

I think Ariel is on the money all the way.

Aurangzeb · 16th May 2006, 02:50 AM

Hello All!

Whould this be worn thrust through a sash? Is there a difference between Iraqi Kurdish jambiyas and other Kurdish groups jambiyas?

Mark...

ariel · 16th May 2006, 05:19 AM

I have a similar one, with a scabbard: no rings at all Must have been stuck under the sash...

Oriental-Arms · 16th May 2006, 05:03 PM

The more such items I have, the less confident I am regarding identification by handle shape. We use to attribute the ones with the diagonal cut cross guard and pommel (#1) to Albania and the one with the straight cut (#4) to Kurdistan, but unfortunately ALL variation are found all over the place. The photo below show some of the variations:

1. West Balkan
2. Central Turkey
3, 4. East Turkey
5. Northern Iraq.

However this is far from being an accurate attribution. Handle shapes and blade shapes from all the area are mixed all around.

With regard to the way these daggers were carried, I trust the photo below is better than thousands words (National Geographic 1938).

Aurangzeb · 17th May 2006, 04:59 AM

Thanks for the picture and the information Artzi!

Aurangzeb · 17th May 2006, 11:56 PM

I almost forgot one last question, does this mean that in identifying one of these it is better to use "Kurdistan" as an identification rather than a more specific term like "Iraqi Kurdistan" ot "Turkish Kurdistan"? Mine seems to resemble the Northern Iraq one thus confirmig Ariels attribution.

Mark...

16th May 2006, 02:50 AM	#5
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Hello All! Whould this be worn thrust through a sash? Is there a difference between Iraqi Kurdish jambiyas and other Kurdish groups jambiyas? Mark... Last edited by Aurangzeb; 16th May 2006 at 03:06 AM.

16th May 2006, 05:03 PM	#7
Oriental-Arms Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Haifa, Israel Posts: 183	Albanian, Turkish, Kurds, Iraqi daggers The more such items I have, the less confident I am regarding identification by handle shape. We use to attribute the ones with the diagonal cut cross guard and pommel (#1) to Albania and the one with the straight cut (#4) to Kurdistan, but unfortunately ALL variation are found all over the place. The photo below show some of the variations: 1. West Balkan 2. Central Turkey 3, 4. East Turkey 5. Northern Iraq. However this is far from being an accurate attribution. Handle shapes and blade shapes from all the area are mixed all around. With regard to the way these daggers were carried, I trust the photo below is better than thousands words (National Geographic 1938).

17th May 2006, 04:59 AM	#8
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Thanks for the picture and the information Artzi! Last edited by Aurangzeb; 17th May 2006 at 11:56 PM.

17th May 2006, 11:56 PM	#9
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	I almost forgot one last question, does this mean that in identifying one of these it is better to use "Kurdistan" as an identification rather than a more specific term like "Iraqi Kurdistan" ot "Turkish Kurdistan"? Mine seems to resemble the Northern Iraq one thus confirmig Ariels attribution. Mark... Last edited by Aurangzeb; 18th May 2006 at 02:43 AM.

14th May 2006, 02:19 AM	#1
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Kurdish OR Albanian Jambiya ??? Hello All! I just got this lovely jambiya that I think is late 19th or early 20th century. But I chould use some help on identifying the origen of this knife, I think it is either Albanian or Kurdish but I don't know for sure. Any comments are welcome! Mark... Attached Images

14th May 2006, 02:31 AM	#2
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	Iraqi, Kurdish. Albanian (Arnaouti) are distinguished by deep diagonal counterpointing incisions in the inner corners of the handle. Interestingly, Miller shows an identical one (Hermitage collection) from Georgia.

14th May 2006, 02:36 AM	#3
Aurangzeb Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 306	Hello Ariel! Thank you for the fast identification! Do you think I have the date right. Mark...

15th May 2006, 07:46 PM	#4
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	I think Ariel is on the money all the way.

16th May 2006, 05:19 AM	#6
ariel Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 5,503	I have a similar one, with a scabbard: no rings at all Must have been stuck under the sash...