Two Stirrups

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

A detailed Mongolian inscription on the base of one of the stirrups, gives the name of its maker and of the Mongolian nobleman who commissioned it. Such an inscription appears to be unique not only for a stirrup but also for any example of secular ironwork from Mongolia or Tibet, making these stirrups invaluable as a touchstone against which all other decorative ironwork of this type can be compared. The inscriptions, as translated by Dr. Johan Elverskog, reads: Kiya Darkhan made this stirrup [adorned] with dragons on the second day of the new moon of the fifth month of the yi-sheep year for Oboodai Taiji. The date yi-sheep is a combination of the Chinese ten stems and the Mongol 12 animal cycle, corresponding to 1595, 1655, or 1715.

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