Quiver (mda' shubs) with Accessory

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This quiver represents a very rare type, the basic form of which is depicted in works of art from China through Tibet and Central Asia from at least the seventh century until the end of the fourteenth century. The body is made of wicker or split bamboo, covered in leather, and reinforced by an iron frame. The top is covered by a keyhole-shaped cowl made of a copper alloy, which is open at the front for the insertion or removal of arrows. Quivers of this type are wider at the bottom because the arrows were placed in them with the arrowheads upward, unlike later types of quivers. Carbon-14 testing places this quiver in a date range of 1290–1410.

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