Wootz Jambiya Albanian?

RobertGuy · 16th August 2018, 09:35 AM

Thanks for all the help. Sorry for slow reply. I have done some more pictures, not sure if they add anything. Rhino horn would be interesting, if a little bit disconcerting.

mahratt · 16th August 2018, 09:42 AM

Unfortunately, the hilt is not made from a horn of a rhinoceros ... This, as I said, is the horn of a buffalo.

Pay attention to the elements that I highlighted in red. You can see the curvature of the structure of the horn and the cracks. The structure of the rhinoceros horn fibers (keratin) is always straight. See the two last photos.

motan · 16th August 2018, 11:35 AM

Hi, I agree with Ariel. Definitely Kurdish, not Albanian. The shape of the scabbard and particularly the point are Ottoman, but not necessarily Turkish - it was common in parts of the Ottoman Empire during that time, and your dagger is definitely of Ottoman age.
This shape of hilt and also the filigree ornaments are uncommon, but I have seen both on Kurdish daggers before. If I had to guess, I would say Northern Iraq.
The writing says A'mal Naser - the work of Naser, but I am not very good in reading Arabic, as shown very recently , so you should ask around.
Very nice dagger

shayde78 · 16th August 2018, 11:50 PM

Not to hijack the thread, but the picture of the hilt (I reposted below) brought a question to mind - has anyone ever thought this hilt form might be related to some of the European ballock dagger hilts? The region (Asia Minor/Mediterranean) has a long history of phallic-shaped fertility amulets. I would think the Islamic tradition of avoiding direct representation in favor of the more abstract would lend itself well to shaping a knife's hilt in this way.

Of course...it could just be that Freud would have a field day with me on his couch, and that a cigar is sometimes just a cigar.

16th August 2018, 09:35 AM	#1
RobertGuy Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 135	Thanks for all the help. Sorry for slow reply. I have done some more pictures, not sure if they add anything. Rhino horn would be interesting, if a little bit disconcerting. Attached Images

16th August 2018, 09:42 AM	#2
mahratt Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Russia Posts: 1,042	Unfortunately, the hilt is not made from a horn of a rhinoceros ... This, as I said, is the horn of a buffalo. Pay attention to the elements that I highlighted in red. You can see the curvature of the structure of the horn and the cracks. The structure of the rhinoceros horn fibers (keratin) is always straight. See the two last photos. Attached Images

16th August 2018, 11:50 PM	#4
shayde78 Member Join Date: Mar 2017 Posts: 445	Not to hijack the thread, but the picture of the hilt (I reposted below) brought a question to mind - has anyone ever thought this hilt form might be related to some of the European ballock dagger hilts? The region (Asia Minor/Mediterranean) has a long history of phallic-shaped fertility amulets. I would think the Islamic tradition of avoiding direct representation in favor of the more abstract would lend itself well to shaping a knife's hilt in this way. Of course...it could just be that Freud would have a field day with me on his couch, and that a cigar is sometimes just a cigar. Attached Images

16th August 2018, 11:35 AM	#3
motan Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Jerusalem Posts: 274	Hi, I agree with Ariel. Definitely Kurdish, not Albanian. The shape of the scabbard and particularly the point are Ottoman, but not necessarily Turkish - it was common in parts of the Ottoman Empire during that time, and your dagger is definitely of Ottoman age. This shape of hilt and also the filigree ornaments are uncommon, but I have seen both on Kurdish daggers before. If I had to guess, I would say Northern Iraq. The writing says A'mal Naser - the work of Naser, but I am not very good in reading Arabic, as shown very recently , so you should ask around. Very nice dagger