Hunting Sword (Shamshir Shikargar) with Modern Scabbard

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Rajput and Mughal painted hunting scenes commonly depict royalty and nobility wielding swords while pursuing prey on horseback. This example depicts such scenes, sculptured in low-relief decoration. On both sides, running the full length of the blade, is a menagerie of animals, from real to mythical, together with hunters. The guard terminates in the head of a tiger.

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