-Marroquin Arab 1870 Koummya Dagger With Sheath In Wood Silver And Brass

Marroquin forged steel dagger with sheath.

Beautiful koummya dagger with a sheath from the region of Morocco, circa 1870. The blade was created with forged steel, mounted in wood and brass and embellished with silver parts decorated with chiseled and engraved motifs. The dagger is curved with a tick double edge blade, the handle is ornate with silver and wood. Like swords and daggers in most cultures, the Islamic dagger was worn as both, weapons and status symbols. The man for whom this beautiful sword was made must undoubtedly have been a somewhat important figure in the society since he had a sword of such high quality and very expensive at the time. This is a stunning museum-quality Islamic dagger, a real artwork, and an important example of Muslim goldsmith and swordsmiths art.

koummya Dagger

This is the characteristic traditional dagger of the Berber and Arabic peoples of Morocco. Stone classifies these as being one localized variant of the Arabic jambiya, and the contoured handles, curved double-edged blades and exaggeratedly upturned scabbard tips are all features consistent with such an interpretation. In the context of the traditional regional manner of dress, the koummya is worn visibly at the left side, generally about at the level of the waist and is suspended vertically, with the scabbard tip forward, by a long woolen baldric, attached at either end to one of the two scabbard rings, and worn crossing in front and back of the torso and over the right shoulder. A much greater diversity in forms and decoration exists than is represented by the examples presented in this essay and presumably such features could be used to place particular examples geographically and temporally.

Weight: 640 Grams, (0.64 Kg.).

Measurements: 437 mm by 95 mm (17.2 x 3.75 Inches).

Hallmarks: No maker's marks visible. The silver has been electronically tested.

 Jambiya

jambiya, also spelled janbiya, jambya, jambia and janbia, also known as a shibriyeh (Arabic: شبرية shibriyyah) in the Levant, is a specific type of dagger with a short, curved blade with a medial ridge that originated from the Hadhramaut region of Yemen. They have spread all over the Middle East and the Arab world in general like Somalia and other parts of Asia too such as South Asia and Southeast Asia. Men typically above the age of 14 wear it as an accessory to their clothing.

References: Metropolitan Museum of New York, NY. Dagger (Jambiya) with Sheath 18th–19th century, Moroccan, Steel, silver, glass. Credit Line: Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935. Accession Number: 36.25.771a.

Literature: George Cameron Stone, A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor in All Countries and in All Times (New York: Jack Brussel, 1961). A brief mention is made under the heading of jambiya, pages 310-314.

Condition: The overall condition of this dagger is very good. Beside the normal wear, there is no damage to the steel or silver. This piece has been carefully inspected to guarantee the condition and authenticity.

INVENTORY REF: D041324VREN/.4396