Dagger
Unknown Artist
18th–19th century
Medium
Steel, jade, gold, diamond, emerald, ruby, agate
Dimensions
H. 15 13/16 in. (40.2 cm); H. of blade 10 7/8 in. (27.6 cm); W. 2 3/4 in. (7 cm); D. 15/16 in. (2.4 cm); Wt. 14.2 oz. (402.6 g)
Classification
Daggers
Culture
Indian, Mughal
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of George C. Stone, 1935
Accession Number
36.25.664
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite Mughal dagger from 18th–19th India exemplifies the opulent fusion of functionality and artistry in imperial arms. Crafted from a sharp steel blade measuring nearly 11 inches, it features a lavish hilt of jade inlaid with gold and encrusted with diamonds, emeralds rubies, and ag. At over 15 inches tall and weighing 14 ounces, its balanced proportions made it both a formidable weapon and a status symbol for nobility, likely used in ceremonial contexts rather than battle. In the waning years of the Mughal Empire, such daggers—often called *khanjar* or *katar*—reflected Persian-inf...