The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of February 23, 2026

Katar (Stabbing Dagger): Sheath

1700s

India, Mughal

wooden sheath with velvet cover, brass boss, iron tip with gold inlay
Overall: 8.2 cm (3 1/4 in.)
Gift of Morris and Eleanor Everett 1985.119.b
Location: Not on view

Description

Stabbing daggers called katar were distinctive to India and often worn by soldiers and courtiers, tucked into their belts. Covering the entire handle are tiny scenes of lions and cheetahs hunting deer and buffalo in rocky wooded settings.
  • ?-1985
    (Spink & Son, Ltd., London, UK, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art)
    1985-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Turner, Evan H. “The Year in Review for 1985.” The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 73, no. 2 (February 1986): 26–71. Reproduced: p. 51; Mentioned: p. 71, no. 206 www.jstor.org
  • Martial Art of India. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (February 11-August 21, 2022).
    Paintings of Bikaner – Indian Gallery 242 Rotation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (November 7, 2019-April 5, 2020).
    Art and Stories from Mughal India. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (July 31-October 23, 2016).
  • {{cite web|title=Katar (Stabbing Dagger): Sheath|url=false|author=|year=1700s|access-date=23 February 2026|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1985.119.b