Title

Katar (Punch-Dagger)

Culture

Indian

Medium

Steel, watered steel, and gold

Museum

Harvard Art Museums

Classification

Weapons and Ammunition

Date

18th-19th century

Dimensions

41.91 cm (16 1/2 in.)

Description

A katar is a punch-dagger that is native to South Asia. It consists of an H-shaped horizontal grip that results in the knuckles sitting just above the blade, which is triangular in shape. Here, the hilt, made of steel, has been stained brown and is decorated throughout with flowers in heavy gold false-damascening. The blade, made of watered steel, features an embossed fleur-de-lis at the base that leads to a medial rib with two adjacent fullers. The blade gets thicker towards the point, creating a profile that is distinct to an armor-piercing blade.

Uploaded: 2025-08-17