Spearhead and Storage Case (清 矛頭)
An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art
With its pure form and clean lines, this spearhead shows a level of quality and refinement usually reserved for the best sword blades and seldom found on spears or other staff weapons. At the base of its socket there is a braided ring realistically chiseled in high relief. Engraved just above it is a design of a mountains and waves, a symbol of longevity called the Islands of the Immortals.
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.