Khanjali
| Khanjali (Qama) | |
|---|---|
Caucasian dagger, Metropolitan Museum of Art | |
| Type | Dagger |
| Place of origin | Caucasus |
| Specifications | |
| Blade length | approx. 40–50 cm (16–20 in) |
| Blade type | Straight Double edged, Curved Single edged (Bebut) |
| Hilt type | Single-handed swept |
| Scabbard/sheath | wood and leather, brass, gold and silver. |
Khanjali (Abkhaz: Аҩҽы/Кама; Adyghe: къамэ; Avar: Ханжар; Armenian: խանջալ ; Azerbaijani: Qəmə/xəncər; Chechen: шаьлта; Dargin: ханжал, Georgian: ხანჯალი; Ingush: шалта; Lezgin: Гапур; Ossetian: Хъама) also known as a kindjal, is a double-edged dagger used in the Caucasus. The shape of the weapon is similar to that of the ancient Roman gladius, the Scottish dirk and the ancient Greek xiphos. Inhabitants of Caucasus have used the Kindjal as a secondary weapon since the 18th century.
Such daggers and their scabbards are often highly engraved with gold or silver designs, and sometimes include embedded gemstones. The scabbard will generally feature a ballpoint extension on the tip, and the handle is usually made of materials such as wood or ivory.