Saddle Axe

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

As the name implies, small axes of this type, tabarzin in Persian, were carried beneath a horseman’s saddle, ready for use in handto-hand combat. The blade of this example is forged from crucible (“watered”) steel and is delicately chiseled with foliage and splitleaf arabesques that point to an eighteenth-century date.

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