Pair of Stirrups

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Although close in form to the well-known style of Mongolian, Chinese, and Tibetan stirrups still in use in the region today, this pair, with its slender proportions and accomplished decoration, is earlier and finer than most examples of this type. The dragon heads are chiseled in high relief with deep undercutting and some piercing. The treads, where the rider's feet would rest, are decorated with the interlocked design known as the King's Earrings, damascened in silver.

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