Dagger with Zoomorphic Hilt
Unknown Artist
second half 16th century
Medium
Hilt: copper; cast, chased, gilded, and inlaid with rubies. Blade: steel; forged
Dimensions
H. 15 5/8 in. (39.7 cm)
Classification
Arms and Armor
Department
Islamic Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Lila Acheson Wallace Gift, 2011
Accession Number
2011.236
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite *Dagger with Zoomorphicilt*, crafted by an unknown artist in the half of the 16 century, exemplifies the masterful fusion of functionality and artistry in Islamic arms and armor. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Art Department, this ⅝-inch (39.7 cm) dagger reflects the opulent metalworking traditions of the period, likely from regions like the Ottoman Empire oravid Persia, where such weapons served as both practical tools and symbols of status and power. The hilt, made of copper, is a tour de force of technique: cast in zoomorphic forms—featuring intricate motifs of b...