Dagger (Khanjar)
Unknown Artist
17th–18th century
Medium
Stone (probably marble), steel
Dimensions
L. 13 3/8 in. (34 cm); L. of blade 8 1/16 in. (22 cm)
Classification
Daggers
Culture
Indian
Department
Arms and Armor
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Bequest, 2015
Accession Number
2015.694
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite **Dagger (Khanjar)** from17th–18th India exemplifies the masterful fusion of functionality and artistry in Mughal-era arms. Crafted with a steel blade measuring 8 1/16 inches (22 cm) and a hilt of stone—likely marble—the dagger totals 13 3/8 inches (34 cm) in length. The hilt's probable carved motif of a sheep, a tag associated with this piece, hints at symbolic decoration, possibly evoking pastoral motifs or protective emblems common in Indian decorative arts of the period. In the opulent courts of India's Deccan or Mughal regions, khanjars were more than weapons; they were st...