Miquelet Pistol

Miquelet Pistol

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The barrel is signed in both Russian and Arabic, suggesting that the pistol was made in Tbilisi in Georgia or Circassia, which were then under Russian control. Kubachi, the other major armsmaking center in the Caucasus, did not fall under Russian domination until the 1860s.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.