Peshkabz with Mother-of-Pearl Grips
India, 18th century
Steel and mother-of-pearl
37 cm long
37 cm long
A4836a
Further images
This dagger has a straight-edged blade with a T-shaped cross-section, and is decorated with mother-of-pearl plaques around the hilt. The plaques create a chevron pattern and are riveted to the wooden frame, while two pairs of silver bosses highlight either side of the pommel area.
Pesh-kabz is a Persian term meaning ‘fore grip’ and these types of daggers can have straight or curved blades. Designed to pierce through chain mail, they originated in Iran and then spread to Northern India and Central Asia.
A similar pesh-kabz is in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no. 36.25.976). Another is in The Al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (accession no. LNS 1617 M).[1]
[1] Kaoukji, S. Precious Indian Weapons and Other Princely Accoutrements, London: Thames & Hudson, 2017, p. 261, fig. 96.
Pesh-kabz is a Persian term meaning ‘fore grip’ and these types of daggers can have straight or curved blades. Designed to pierce through chain mail, they originated in Iran and then spread to Northern India and Central Asia.
A similar pesh-kabz is in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (accession no. 36.25.976). Another is in The Al-Sabah Collection, Kuwait (accession no. LNS 1617 M).[1]
[1] Kaoukji, S. Precious Indian Weapons and Other Princely Accoutrements, London: Thames & Hudson, 2017, p. 261, fig. 96.