A Nepali Janbiyya (Jambiya)?

R

ruel

Joined
Nov 22, 1999
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Here's something I got last month. It's obviously a jambiya, the characteristic dagger of the major Islamic cultures. This one, though, appears to have some features of Nepali or NE Indian work. Viz:

1. This kind of blade engraving, leather patterning over a wood scabbard, and brass chape are things we see often on Khukuris:
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2. The grip, I don't know, just has that 'look' which says Nepal/India instead of Arabia, Persia, or Turkey.
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3. Here's a full view:
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What do you all think? It's a known fact that Islamic weapon forms (including the jambiya) were used in Nepal, as Uncle Bill's pix from King Prithvi Narayan Shah's armory prove. Is this a Gurkha jambiya?
 
For comparison, here's a true Arabian janbiyya (jambiya): One can easily see that the aesthetics of my first janbiyya above are closer to Nepal's than Arabia's.

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:
Reul, Pretty Knife, And one I would be proud to own!!!!!
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I saw that same style handle on a real wootz steel blade one time that was to die for so I couldn't say one way or the other.
The man that had it was asking $750.00 FIRM for it and there was no way I could afford it then.
I will aways remember that one that got away though!!!!

I have loved wootz and patterned damascus since I was a wee lad. I looked at dictionaries to see what new knives I could see pix of when I was around 6 years and the love of exotic blades has never left me.


------------------
>>>>---¥vsa---->®

"I would rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

........unknown, to me anyway........

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
Been searching for an old post about Gorkhas - pre British ? - being referred to as Lahurey/ lohar / Lahore ( maybe it was Sonam/gtkguy ) as so many Nepalis were employed in Lahore. Couldn't find it.

What intrigues me as little as I know about it is the engraving - Mohd might be able to tell us more about what is lawful engraving to a Muslim and what isn't. I'm thinking the usual Nepali symbols and designs I have seen wouldn't be acceptable, so though it would be a different style than I've seen yet from Nepal, it would have been ordered that way. Don't forget too that there are Bengali muslims as well as Pakistanis. Northern Central Burma also has a Rai population, which are one of the Nepali tribes recruited from for Gorkhas.

 
Ruel, this is a nice blade I think would be possible for the BirGhorka kamis to produce. Whether they would be able to come close to the fine engraving that is seen, would be another story.

Harry
 
Thanks for the comments, friends. I really do think it is Nepali, as the scabbard really looks like those found on khukuris. Another interesting thing is that, when worn, it sweeps to the left, the same direction as khukuris, while Arab janbiyyas sweep in the other direction (as seen on my other janbiyya above).

Apothecary, I'm sure you're right, and even if my J-- turns out not to be Nepali, it wouldn't be hard to make it part of their repertoire -- when they have time! (:

 
Ruel.

I am not good in antiquity. Anyhow, I guess your jambiya has codes that can tell us of it's origin.
  • The blade engraving: My instinct say that the engraving is done by a Muslim --- it is purely fauna & floral motif --- that is the only lawful motif that can be drawn or engraved on anything by a Muslim.
  • The handle: I think it has the strong influence of Indian subcontinent tradition ... maybe Hindus or Buddhist influence ... that 2 rivets which have 6 stars around them ... I just can not relate to anything Islamic ... we Muslim are fundementally not using symbol in our ritual!
  • The scabbard: I know it was not made in Arab or Africa or South East Asia --- that sort of scabbard are normally of Indian subcontinent origin --- especially northen part.
  • Jambiya: Though jambiya is originated from Arab especially Yaman --- the spread of Islam has bring that sort of weapon to Iran, Turkey, Central Asia, Indian subcontinent (ie. India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangla Desh and Sri Lanka), Africa and South East Asia.
I strongly guess that your jambiya is originated from somwhere at north of Indian subcontinent. Just my 1/2 cent ...

NEPAL HO!

 
Hi Mohd,

1. It seems that the 'rosette' motif is more common than we might think on Muslim janbiyyas. Here's a closer look at my Omani:
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And one from Morocco (a koummya):
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It may just be that because a rivet was needed in those places anyway, the cutlers just decided to decorate them.

2. What still surprises me is that the shape of the blade itself looks more like Arabian janbiyyas than the much nearer (and often better quality) Indo-Persian janbiyyas; it is wide, in a way that janbiyyas from India and Persia (and also Sumatra and Java) aren't.
 
I have some of these knives I got in Morocco. If anyone wants I will send them some pix e-mail. Don't know how to post them.
 
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