Dagger (Pesh-kabz) with Sheath

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Daggers of this type, called pesh-kabz in Persian, have a straight or curved single-edged blade of T-shaped cross-section that tapers to an acute point. They were used in Iran and northern India in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This Indian example is distinctive for its jeweled nephrite jade hilt and delicately pierced scabbard mounts.

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