Original 19th Century Arabian Jambiya Dagger with Heavily Decorated Scabbard and Later Period Belt Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Jambiya, also spelled janbia, janbiya, and jambia (Arabic: جنبية‎ janbīyah), is the Arabic term for dagger, but it is generally used to describe a specific type of dagger with a short curved blade. The term jambiya is used in various Arab countries and India, it is closely associated with the people of Yemen and is prevalent among Muslim men in the Horn of Africa (primarily the Afars of Djibouti).

If you look at original photographs of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA in his traditional Arab robes, this is exactly the type of ARAB Dagger Captain T.E. Lawrence carried in his waist band. This is the Classic Arab Dagger of the Sinai and great deserts of the Middle East that stretch all the way down to Yemen and the Oman on the Indian Ocean.

Here we have a very fine Arabian jambiya dagger, with the characteristic wide curved blade with a central rib. Close examination of the blade shows that it is made of “Wootz Steel”, an early form of laminated crucible steel, similar to “Damascus Steel,” which is what gives the central rib the lovely patterns. This is what we call the “classic style”, as carried by “Lawrence of Arabia” in all his WWI photographs. This dagger is in fact considerably older, perhaps even 75 – 100 years older.

The wooden grip is covered in heavy silver adornments. Its scabbard is wood fully covered in gilded brass or even silver of wonderful quality. The dagger is currently attached to a later leather decorative belt, which may date from the WWI period or more recent.

This is a very high quality edged weapon and shows that all the effort goes into the front side, leaving the rear of the scabbard almost totally unadorned. A lovely example with a much later decorative belt.

Almost certainly a War Trophy brought back from the Desert Campaign during WWI. by some soldier so he could relate his brave deeds of battle to his Grand Children.

Dimensions:
Blade length: 7 1/4”
Blade Style: Double Edged Curved
Overall length: 11 ½”
Crossguard: 2 1/4”
Scabbard Length: 7 1/2″