.jpg)
Ajambiya (Arabic:جنبية),[a] is a type ofdagger with a short curved blade with a medial ridge that originated from theHadhramaut region inYemen.[1][2] They have spread to other countries in theMiddle East, to other countries in theArab world, and to parts ofSouth Asia andSoutheast Asia.[3][4] Men typically above the age of 14 wear it as an accessory to their clothing.[5]
The jambiya was given its name because it is worn on the side of a person—the word jambiya is derived from the Arabic wordjanb (Arabic:جنب,lit. 'side'). A jambiya is constituted of a handle, a blade, and a sheath in which the blade is held. It is made of a certain sort of wood, to hold the blade that is fixed to the waist from underneath with an upward curved sheath. The belt that holds the jambiya is made of tanned leather, or some thick cloth. There are specialised markets and handicraft markets that decorate it with golden wires.
Scabbard-1876%25E2%2580%25931909.jpg)
The jambiya were taken by travelers to other cultures including theOttoman Empire,Persia and India,[6] where they were adopted with slight differences to the blade,hilt andscabbard.
A significant part of a jambiya is its hilt (handle). Thesaifani hilt is made ofrhinoceros horn, which can cost up to $1500 per kilogram; poaching ofblack rhinoceri for this purpose has led them to become critically endangered. It is used on the daggers of wealthier citizens. Different versions ofsaifani hilts can be distinguished by their colour. Other janbiya hilts are made of different types of horn, wood, metal and ivory from elephants and walruses. Apart from the material used for the hilt, the design and detail is a measure of its value and the status of its owner.[7]
_muzej.jpg)
The double edgedblade of the jambiya is constructed of steel that in some cases isDamascus orwootz steel. The blade is stored in asheath known as 'Asib (Arabic:العسيب), usually made of wood covered with metal, leather or cloth. The sheath can be decorated with various ornaments that signify status. These include silver work, semi-precious stones, and leather. The sheath can be fixed to a leather belt, which is normally 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) wide. The belt is usually worn around the lower abdomen. There are often other items attached to this belt, such as a silver purse for containing money and change.[7] Sometimes, Jambiyas are made from shrapnel left over from missiles in a war.[8]
Despite the cultural significance of the jambiya, it is still a weapon. Although people have used it in times of dispute, there are societal norms that must be followed in order to avoiddefamation. The jambiya should only come out of its sheath in extreme cases of conflict. It is also commonly used in traditional events, such as dances.
Like with some other curved knives, as the blade bends towards the opponent, the user need not angle the wrist, which makes it more comfortable as a stabbing weapon than straight-bladed knives. Its heavy blade enables the user to inflict deep wounds.[5]
Ajambiya is a shortdagger worn by men inYemen. The handle of a jambiya tells the status of the man who wears it.
The jambiya handle often tells of the social status of the man who wears it. Jambiyas were often made with ivory handles. The manufacturers most often receive this material through smugglers, due to the international ban on the substance. As ivory has only ever had ornamental merit in such an application, those that recognize the jambiya as a tool and/or weapon tend to prefer a hardwood handle anyway. Many street-side charlatans will proclaim to sell ivory-handled jambiyas whilst actually selling poorly-made blades with white plastic handles.
The most famous type of jambiya is that which has asaifani orivory handle; it has a dim yellowish lustre. The more translucent ivory will turn a yellow colour with age and is called "saifani heart". Some of the ivory handles are calledasadi when they turn into a greenish yellow. When the handle becomes whitish yellow, it is calledzaraf. There is also analbasali ("onionish") kind, the colour of which resembles that of a white onion.
The ivory handle jambiya is often worn as a sign of high social status. They are typically used by most Yemeni people, except those in the coastal cities ofAden andMukalla where most of them have given up using it because it was banned during the rule of theYemeni Socialist Party inSouth Yemen.[9][10] The jambiya hasn't been reserved in use for a particular class of person in the country but the valuable ones can be found with particularly influential persons like judges, famous merchants and businessmen.
Antique jambiyas that have been worn by historically significant people can fetch exorbitant prices like that of the Sheikh ofBakil, Sheikh Al-Shaif, which goes back toImam Yahya Muhammad Hamid ed-Din and was reported to have costUS$1,000,000 when bought in 1992.[11][12]
Tribal names and even the traditional Yemeni dagger, the 'jambiyya,' were banned
