Tickets
English
DonateMembershipTickets

Dagger (Jambiya)

ca. 1825–50
Not on view
While figural representations are uncommon in Islamic art outside of painting, human figures are regularly encountered in Iranian art from the Qajar period (1797–1925), which was strongly influenced by European models. The ivory grip of this dagger is carved with the figure of a Sufi mystic, who is identifiable from his pointed hat, staff topped with a hoopoe (an exotic bird mentioned in the Qur'an), and beggar’s bowl suspended on his arm. One of the carved inscriptions alludes to the weapon’s power: “The handle of your dagger is world-seizing.”

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Dagger (Jambiya)
  • Date: ca. 1825–50
  • Culture: Iranian
  • Medium: Steel, ivory
  • Dimensions: L. 15 1/4 in. (38.7 cm); L. of blade 10 1/4 in. (25.9 cm); W. 2 5/16 in. (5.9 cm); Wt. 14.3 oz. (405.4 g)
  • Classification: Daggers
  • Credit Line: John Stoneacre Ellis Collection, Gift of Mrs. Ellis and Augustus Van Horne Ellis, 1896
  • Object Number: 96.5.138
  • Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Swan-Neck Glass Bottle, Glass, blue; dip-molded, blown, folded foot
Swan-Neck Glass Bottle
19th century
Dagger, Steel, ivory, gold, silver, Turkish
Dagger
Turkish
grip and blade, 16th century; guard, hallmarked for 1774–89
Pen Box (Qalamdan) Depicting Shah Isma'il in a Battle against the Uzbeks, Papier-maché; painted and lacquered
Pen Box (Qalamdan) Depicting Shah Isma'il in a Battle against the Uzbeks
early 19th century
Dagger (Kard) with Sheath, Steel, ivory, gold, wood, leather, iron, Persian, Qajar
Dagger (Kard) with Sheath
Persian, Qajar
ca. 1800
Bottle with a Globular Body, Glass, greenish; blown, applied decoration
Bottle with a Globular Body
19th century

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

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 contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.