Scimitar with Scabbard

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This sword belongs to a distinctive group of Ottoman parade weapons mounted with gilded silver, studded with turquoise, and set with jeweled nephrite plaques. The group includes swords, shields, quivers, saddles, and related equestrian equipment. These luxurious and colorful pieces were frequently given as diplomatic presents by the Ottoman court from the late sixteenth through the seventeenth century, many of them still preserved in European collections. The saber is now fitted with a later Iranian blade of crucible (“watered”) steel inlaid in gold with the pious motto “I trust in God.”

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

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.

Metropolitan Museum of Art