Dagger (Jambiya)
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Steel, ivory (elephant), gold
Dimensions
H. 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm); H. of blade 8 1/2 in. (21.6 cm); W. 2 3/8 in. (6 cm); Wt. 11.6 oz. (328.9 g)
Classification
Daggers
Culture
Indian
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number
36.25.1053
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Jambiya dagger, hailing from 18th–19th century India, exemplifies the fusion of functionality and opulence in South Asian arms craftsmanship. Measuring 12⅜ inches in height with an 8½-inch steel blade, its gently curved form is characteristic of the jambiya style, a dagger prized across regions for both combat and ceremonial display. Crafted for a warrior elite or nobility, such weapons symbolized status and prowess during the Mughal era and later princely states, when intricate arms became markers of power amid shifting empires. The dagger's hilt, fashioned from elephant ivory...