Dagger (Bichuwa)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This intricately crafted dagger is among the best examples of ornamental steel chiseling from southeastern India, an area renowned for this kind of metalwork. It may belong to a group of ornately decorated weapons that was preserved in the palace armory of Tanjore (present-day Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu) until the 1850s. The dagger is particularly noteworthy for the fineness of its workmanship, including complete figures in the round, and for retaining areas of original gilding, which is entirely missing on most surviving pieces of this type.

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