Cleveland Museum of Art

Dagger and Scabbard

Date

1800s

Medium

metal

Department

Korean Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

This is a typical 19th-century dagger and scabbard. The material and decoration were carefully chosen for their symbolic meaning. For example, tortoise shell was chosen as the main material for the scabbard for its association with the legend of ancient heroes, while bats, the main decorative element of the brass mount, symbolize longevity and happiness. In traditional East Asian art, bats, used here as a decorative element of the brass mount, symbolize longevity and happiness.

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