Archer's Thumb Ring

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A thumb ring provided the archer with a firmer grip of the bowstring. As archery was considered a noble sporting exercise, thumb rings, often carried ostentatiously on strings hung from the belt, were worn as symbols of elevated social status. This example, fashioned in pale green nephrite jade set with gemstones in gold foliate mounts, is typically Ottoman. Similar rings are associated with Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent (r. 1520–66) and his immediate successors.

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