The Mamluk sultans and emirs employed a special corps of ax-bearers, probably in imitation of the Varangian (Viking) guard of the emperors of Byzantium. The cup decorating the socket of this ax is the insignia of a Mamluk emir and indicates that he held the important ceremonial office of cupbearer to the sultan.
This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.
Open Access
As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.
API
Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.
This artwork is meant to be viewed from right to left. Scroll left to view more.
Shot 1 (proper left)
Shot 2
Shot 3
Shot 4
Shot 5
Shot 6
Shot 7
Shot 8
Shot 9
Shot 10
Shot 11
Shot 12
Shot 13
Shot 14
Shot 15
Shot 16 (proper right)
Detail
Artwork Details
Use your arrow keys to navigate the tabs below, and your tab key to choose an item
Title:Ax
Date:ca. 1450–1500
Culture:Syrian
Medium:Steel, gold, wood
Dimensions:H. 28 1/2 (72.3 cm); H. of axhead 10 1/4 in. (26.0 cm); H. of handle 27 in. (68.6 cm); W. of blade 9 1/4 in. (23.5 cm); Wt. 2 lb. 15 oz. (1341 g)
Classification:Shafted Weapons
Credit Line:Purchase, Bashford Dean Bequest, 1969
Object Number:69.156
Ex. coll.: Alan Zasky.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Bright Side of the Battle: Symbol and Ceremony in Islamic Arms and Armor," January 17 1985–January 11, 1987.
Detroit Institute of Arts. "Recent Acquisitions of American and Canadian Museums." The Art Quarterly (Winter 1970), pp. 445, 457.
Howat, John K., Berry B. Tracy, Vaughn E. Crawford, Helmut Nickel, Hilde Limondjian, Bradford Kelleher, Kate C. Lefferts, Adolph S. Cavallo, Jacob Bean, Harry S. Parker III, Henry G. Fischer, Claus Virch, Stuart Silver, Fong Chow, Dietrich von Bothmer, Richard Ettinghausen, Louise Condit, Elizabeth R. Usher, Florens Deuchler, Dorothy Weinberger, Emanuel Winternitz, John T. Conger, Margaret P. Nolan, Dudley T. Easby Jr., John J. McKendry, Leon Wilson, Jack Frizzelle, William D. Wilkinson, Marica Vilcek, Henry Geldzahler, and John Goldsmith Phillips. "Reports of the Departments." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (October 1970), p. 66.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Oustanding Recent Accessions 32 p. 395.
Nickel, Helmut. "A Mamluke Axe." In Islamic Art in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, edited by Richard Ettinghausen. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1972. pp. 213-226. figs. 1,2.
Nickel, Helmut. "Arms and Armor." In The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Notable Acquisitions, 1965–1975. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1975. p. 42, ill.
Nickel, Helmut. "A Mamluk Axe." In Islamic Arms and Armour, edited by Robert Elgood. London: Scolar Press, 1979. pp. 149-161.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Stuart Cary Welch. The Islamic World. Metropolitan Museum of Art series; 11. 1st ed. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987. p. 60, fig. 43.
Nickel, Helmut. "Arms and Armor from the Permanent Collection." The Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin (Summer 1991), pp. 50, 64, ill.
Alexander, David, Stuart W. Pyhrr, and Will Kwiatkowski. Islamic Arms and Armor in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 2015. pp. 231–32, no. 94, ill.
The Met's Libraries and Research Centers provide unparalleled resources for research and welcome an international community of students and scholars.
The Met Collection API is where all makers, creators, researchers, and dreamers can connect to the most up-to-date data and public domain images for The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.
