Mecca Shibriya

motan · 27th February 2017, 09:21 PM

Hi A.alnakkas,
I actually thought that the name shibriya was not used outside Israel/Jordan +Sinai. Western collectors always talk about the Khanjars of Oman, the Janbiyas of Yemen, Najran and Hejaz and Dharias (sabiki) of central Arabia, but not about shibriyas. So there IS some continuity across the great desert.
Here in Israel/Palestine, the term shibriya is used by Bedu and some villagers for up to the lower Galilea. All other people, including most villagers and city people would call any type of dagger khanjar, which as an Arabic speaker you know is the generic term for dagger in Arabic.

Oriental-Arms · 28th February 2017, 09:30 AM

I think that the name "Shibrya" is very common to all Palestinian Arabs and Bedouin as well as Jordanian Bedouins, and it is not limited to several villages in the Galilee as suggested by Motan. It always refer to this specific shape of dagger with slightly re-curving blade. You randomly ask any Arab man in Old Jerusalem or Nazareth or Aman what is the name of this dagger and he will tell you Shibriya. I checked it with several Arab colleagues in Israel. Some said they have heard it also in use in Egypt.

motan · 28th February 2017, 09:45 PM

First, Oriental Arms, you are probably right about the shibriyas- you are still a much better source than I am. It is just that when I showed any dagger to my Arab friends, who are by not knowlegable about daggers, their immediate response was "ah, khanjar". Your post bring me to an interesting question about whether any authentic Egyptian daggers exist. But this subject is worth a new thread.

motan · 28th February 2017, 09:51 PM

Forgot to ask something. What do you know, or think about the twin daggers shown in A.alnakkas' post. The big curved ones with large studs.

27th February 2017, 09:21 PM	#1
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	Terminology Hi A.alnakkas, I actually thought that the name shibriya was not used outside Israel/Jordan +Sinai. Western collectors always talk about the Khanjars of Oman, the Janbiyas of Yemen, Najran and Hejaz and Dharias (sabiki) of central Arabia, but not about shibriyas. So there IS some continuity across the great desert. Here in Israel/Palestine, the term shibriya is used by Bedu and some villagers for up to the lower Galilea. All other people, including most villagers and city people would call any type of dagger khanjar, which as an Arabic speaker you know is the generic term for dagger in Arabic.

28th February 2017, 09:45 PM	#3
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	To Oriental Arms First, Oriental Arms, you are probably right about the shibriyas- you are still a much better source than I am. It is just that when I showed any dagger to my Arab friends, who are by not knowlegable about daggers, their immediate response was "ah, khanjar". Your post bring me to an interesting question about whether any authentic Egyptian daggers exist. But this subject is worth a new thread.

28th February 2017, 09:51 PM	#4
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	And another one for Oriental Arms Forgot to ask something. What do you know, or think about the twin daggers shown in A.alnakkas' post. The big curved ones with large studs.

28th February 2017, 09:30 AM	#2
Oriental-Arms Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Haifa, Israel Posts: 183	I think that the name "Shibrya" is very common to all Palestinian Arabs and Bedouin as well as Jordanian Bedouins, and it is not limited to several villages in the Galilee as suggested by Motan. It always refer to this specific shape of dagger with slightly re-curving blade. You randomly ask any Arab man in Old Jerusalem or Nazareth or Aman what is the name of this dagger and he will tell you Shibriya. I checked it with several Arab colleagues in Israel. Some said they have heard it also in use in Egypt.