Hilt of a Dagger
Not on view
Horse-head dagger hilts are first depicted in paintings of the Padshahnama (Chronicle of the King of the World), about 1635, a manuscript documenting the reign of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan (r. 1628–58). As horses were highly prized in Mughal culture, it is not surprising that horse-head daggers were the most popular subject for zoomorphic hilts for several centuries. This example is notable for its sensitive carving of the horse’s head and mane.
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