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Jambia handles are on display in a shop of a market in the old city of Sana'a, Yemen, 07 January 2023. The famous Yemeni “Jambia”, dating back more than 2000 years, is a curved and double-edged dagger and worn proudly by the majority of Yemeni men, including adults and children, around the waist. It is derived from the Arabic word for “side” because the dagger is usually worn on the side of a man. The Jambia is commonly used in traditional events, such as dances. However, despite the cultural significance of jambia, it is still a weapon. The men of Yemen seem to be wearing Jambias as a reliable tool and as a status symbol. It has not always been so. More than 60 years ago, they were frequently used for combat or defense, as occasionally they still are used as a matter of last resort in extreme cases of conflict. The traditional Yemeni Jambia is constituted of a curved steel blade with a handle, a wooden sheath in which the blade is held and a leather belt. The handle is the most important part of Jambia. It is curved out of bull horns and other animal bones. The best one is usually made of rhino horn worth thousands of US dollars. The upward curved sheath is crafted of hardwood covered with metal or leather, to hold the blade that is fixed to the waist of a person. The belt that holds the sheath is made of leather and usually decorated with golden wires and is worn around the lower abdomen. (Photo by Yahya Arhab/EPA/EFE)
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