This unique jade-hilted dagger with its single-edge blade, represented the peaks of the arts and crafts of the Baburid Empire. The dagger is kept in the Museum of Islamic Art Malaysia.
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The dagger records the Shah’s honorific title ‘Sahib-iQiran Thani’ (Second Lord of Auspicious Conjunction) inscribed in gold inlaid on the top edge of the base of the hilt . Gold-inlaid decorations in the form of floral and foliate scrolls flank the inscription. The royal umbrella or chattri in gold inlaid is located on one side of the blade confirming that this dagger is part of the royal regalia. Based on the general feature, this watered-steel blade is probably of Persian origin.
The most intriguing part of this dagger is its hilt, which features a human head carved from a single pure white jade stone. The craftsmen of this dagger efficaciously carved a realistic facial feature of a male, wearing a pair of earrings on a miniature scale. Although merely represented by the shirt collar, it is presumably European costume and fashion.
The jade probably entered the Baburid Empire via a trade network with China, which also has a long tradition of producing highly intricate jade sculptures.