Miquelet Gun

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Ottomans were quick to learn the advantages of firearms from the Europeans and were already manufacturing handguns and artillery in the fifteenth century. The Turkish armies were originally equipped with matchlock muskets, which were replaced in the late seventeenth century with those with a miquelet mechanism (a Spanish or Italian form of flintlock). The gold-damascened barrel of this example is inscribed with the name of Cezayirli Hasan Pasha, grand admiral of the Ottoman navy from 1770 to 1790.

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