Mughal Jade Khanjar

A superb example of a complete Mughal jade hilted and mounted khanjar dating to the 17th century.

Mughal jade daggers are among the most exquisite and culturally significant objects produced by the imperial workshops of India, especially during the height of the Mughal Empire from the late 16th to the 18th centuries. These daggers were renowned for their artistry and precious materials.

The production of jade-hilted daggers flourished during the reigns of emperors Jahangir (1605–1627) and Shah Jahan (1628–1658), a period often referred to as the golden age of Mughal art and craftsmanship. The tradition continued into the 18th and 19th centuries, with daggers often crafted as ceremonial or presentation pieces rather than for battlefield use. Notably, the handles were often carved from jade, while the blades were made of high-quality wootz steel and frequently adorned with gold, diamonds, rubies, and other gemstones.

The jade used in Mughal daggers was primarily nephrite, imported from the region of Khotan (Hotan) in present-day Xinjiang, China. The trade routes from Khotan, across Tibet and through Kashmir to Lahore, supplied the Mughal court with this prized material. The availability of jade in the empire depended on the security and openness of these narrow trade routes. Once in India, the jade was fashioned by highly skilled craftsmen in imperial workshops.   Different colors of jade were often employed for these daggers including pale green nephrite, white nephrite jade was especially prized for its purity and translucence, with notable objects, including daggers and wine cups, crafted for royalty such as Shah Jahan, and dark green, sometimes called “spinach jade” was used.  These colors were sometimes further embellished with inlays of gold, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and other precious stones, highlighting the Mughal penchant for opulence and intricate detail.

The handles of these daggers were frequently carved into elaborate forms, including animal heads (such as rams, horses, or lions), reflecting both artistic inventiveness and the cultural symbolism of the Mughal court. The presentation of such a dagger was a statement of status and esteem, and the objects themselves were treasured as heirlooms and symbols of refined taste. 

This lovely dagger is a formidable example of the type and has several lovely features which distinguish it from other known examples.  The most interesting is the form of the area around what would be the crossguard.  The multi-foiled cusped shape is reminiscent of the cusped arch in Hindu temple architecture such as the trilobed or trefoil arches of the Martand Temple (8th century) and the temple of Pandrethan (10th century), both in Kashmir as well as at the temple of Malot (10th century) in northern Punjab.  This most distinctive feature became prominent in Indo-Islamic architecture under the Mughal but is very rarely found reflected in jade daggers which have much more common tri-lobed or bi-lobed crossguard shapes, whereas this daggers features a much more complex design with seven lobes.  This type of architectural feature was also characteristic of Rajput architecture, which developed in close relation with Mughal architecture during the Mughal era.  The handle further embellished with discretely gold inlaid rubies in the traditional kundan technique which sets precious gemstones within soft gold foil.

The overall dagger is in lovely condition with original matching jade scabbard fittings.  The blade in original polish with limited pitting or discoloration.