Dagger

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, most men and women wore a small knife in a sheath as part of their daily dress and used it as an all-purpose eating utensil and tool. The size this knife, more properly called a dagger, the shape of its hilt, and the presence of a perpendicular ring guard at the base of the hilt, indicate that it was intended primarily as a weapon, both for offense and defense, rather than a utensil. Daggers of this type were used across western Europe from the late fifteenth century to the mid-sixteenth century.

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