Perhaps the first thing that draws a visitor to Yemen is the large dagger worn by most Yemeni men. It is the "Janbiya" also spelled "Jambiya" (Arabic: الجنبية Al-janbiyyah) as the people of Yemen call it, and despite the fear and tension that this piece of white weapon arouses among many tourists and other visitors to Yemen, The Janbiya is mostly peaceful. Yemenis consider it more of a part of the traditional men's costume than a weapon. Rather, for them, it is one of the most important requirements for a man’s adornment and clothing, and one of the most valuable things they own and cherish as a symbol, culture, and heritage.

It generally consists of three pieces

1- The first piece of the jambiya consists of three parts.

The first part is topped with a handle its called "head". It is made from the horns of certain types of animals, and two pieces of gold are added to the head. The handle is decorated with shiny engravings distributed regularly on both sides by implanting special, precise nails made of silver.

As for the second part, it comes at the bottom of the head of The Janbiya with a metal frame, called “Mabsam”. It is usually made of local silver or dyed with gold water, and it could be made of gold in precious Janbiyas.

As for the third part, it is a large blade of iron or steel, and its edges are sharp, and it has a curved shape until it ends with a pointed head, and this part is connected directly with the first parts.

2- The second piece is a sheath that is made of wood and is covered from the outside with a plate of gold or silver often, and some inscriptions or Arabic words are added to this sheath, or a type of leather or a type of green colored thread is used.

3- The third piece is the Janbiya belt, which is a belt that surrounds the middle of the body in the abdomen and lower back, and it is the piece responsible for tying the sheath (the second piece). It is generally made of pure leather, and the leather is often covered with a lining of cloth from the behind. As or the front, the cloth is full of motifs or Arabic lines embroidered with gold threads and other colored threads, so it looks like an exquisite painting of Arabic inscription art.

Note :# the piece number 1 is the Janbiya, and the pieces number 2 and 3 its called "Al-Asib" , but people call all pieces Janbiya.

And this is how it's looks like:

Other than wearing the Janbiya as an adornment, it forms an essential part of the famous "Al-Bara' " dance among many Yemeni tribes. And other Yemeni folk dances, where this dagger is taken it out and moved in the hand in a signed manner with the beats of the drums.

The jambiya also plays an important role in tribal arbitration in disputes that occur between individuals or tribes. The aggrieved party also resorts to breaking the sheath of his Janbiya or handing it over to the arbitrator or judge as confirmation of his request for redress, or expression of commitment to the arbitrator or judge ruling, whoever it may be.

Janabi is worn by adult men. However, many parents are keen to have Janbiya for their children on special occasions. The children's Janbiya is small, and some parents are keen to have its blade attached in the sheath, to prevent children from taking it out and playing with it. where it is customary to see children adorned with the jambiya as a sign of their tribal affiliation and as a symbol of their expected manhood.

The Janbiya is the most expensive piece of the traditional Yemeni folk dress in its many forms and styles, and it is said that the value of some of the Janbiyas reaches millions of dollars. Indeed, due to the greatness of the value of some Janbiyas, they are not sold at all and are priceless. The old, inherited Janbiya is kept by the person most conservatively and is not sold at any price, as that is a shame and a defect according to tribal traditions. And the most valuable of the Janbiya has an ancient genealogy, which is the chain of previous people who possessed it.

For more information : https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambiya