Punch dagger and sheath

In daggers of this form, which are unique to India, the crossbars of the handle serve as the grip while the longer sidebars protect the wrist. Originating in the Deccan plateau region of southern India, punch daggers were widely used as weapons throughout the Mughal empire. They appear frequently in Hindu and Muslim court paintings and are mentioned in various contemporary texts. According to one inscribed example, the punch dagger was sharp enough to pierce the skull of an elephant and was known by the term jamadhar—the tooth of Yama, god of death.