A Very Fine Daharia Long Dagger - Short Sword From Hijaz / Asir

A Jambiya dagger - short sword from from Hijaz or Asir regions in south Saudi Arabia. This type of daggers are worn horizontally or semi horizontally on the belt and they are mistakenly attributed to Wahhabi religious movement, but there is no real link to this connection. These were the common type of long daggers in the Hijaz and Asir regions in the western part of the Arab peninsula along the coast line of the Red Sea. They also seen further south in Tihama on the red see shores of western Yemen. These long daggers (actually short sword) are known as Daharia and Sabiki.

The long exemplar exhibited here has a good wide blade of flat diamond cross section. Horn grips set with silver stars and a triangular silver pommel cap with silver studs.  Leather covered wood scabbard with very finely chased silver mounts.  

Massive blade 20 1/2 inches (52 cm) long 2 1/4 inches (55 mm) wide. Total length 31 inches (79 cm). Very good condition. The silver chape is professionally restored. The triangular pommel shape and the silver stars on the handle suggest an early exemplar, may be late 19 C. A real authentic fighting blade.