Lew Waldman's Ethnographic Arms & Armour Collection Archive


1121 - Yemeni Jambiya with Encased and Silver Alloy Decorated Hilt

This jambiya has a typical 8 inch (20.3 cm) long double-edged curved blade with a moderately high, though rounded, mid rib. The bright blade finish shows a few light corrosive patches and a few foci of mild pitting. This dagger does not appear to suffer the usual stigmata of those blades made of two stamped sheet metal halves and a weight of nearly 10 ounces (282 grams) serves to corroborate this impression of a solid blade. The entire hilt has been encased in 'white' sheet metal over which have been applied bands and medallions of silver alloy granulation work. The sheet metal has suffered a few minor dents, but none of these are seriously distracting. The dagger measures 12¼ inches (31 cm) in length. A leather sheath has been formed around a pair of wooden inserts with the tip protected by a chape of silver alloy. There are some losses and cracking of the leather on the back of the sheath and the straps that once connected to the diagonal band on the sheath face are now long absent. There is also some fraying around the sheath mouth where the leather is (intentionally) unsupported by the wooden inserts. The wooden inserts show patination suggestive of some age. With the sheath, the length is 12½ inches (32 cm) and the weight is just under 12 ounces (337 grams).


Yemeni Jambiya with Encased and Silver Alloy Decorated Hilt

Yemeni Jambiya with Encased and Silver Alloy Decorated Hilt

Yemeni Jambiya with Encased and Silver Alloy Decorated Hilt

Yemeni Jambiya with Encased and Silver Alloy Decorated Hilt

Yemeni Jambiya with Encased and Silver Alloy Decorated Hilt



Return to item index page