Southern Arabian Jambiya
Southern Arabian Jambiya
Possibly Tihamah Region, Yemen - Asir Province, Saudi Arabia
Knife: Late 19th - Early 20th century
Sheath: Late 20th century
Steel, rhinoceros horn, silver alloy, leather, plastic, felt, iron, fabric, metal alloy
Blade: 19,7cm
Hilt & Blade: 31,cm
Hilt, Blade, Sheath: 35,6cm
Collection Date: 2014
Collection Number: 88
A jambiya knife from Southern Arabia, possibly Tihamah or Asir, in the border regions between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The knife itself is an old example while the sheath is contemporary.
The curved steel blade is double- edged with a forged rounded central rib. The blade now, with quite a bit of patina displayed. The hilt is carved from rhinoceros horn, decorated in granulated silver filigree and metal alloy bands, presumably a tin brass mixture.
The sheath is contemporary and was paired at a later date during the late 20th century, possibly around the 1970s. It may be a Chinese import as a cheaper means for the common man rather than more expensive locally produced ones. It is composed of plastic, felt, fabric, and leather with an attached iron belt buckle. While the sheath is ordinary, the knife itself is an old example with good quality.