Accession Number

1988.004.0002c

Creation Date

circa 1620

Description

Ovoid pommel from dagger (1988.008.0002a). One of four pieces. See also 1988.008.0002b, d. 

Exhibition Label

Case Caption (2023): 

Hand Weapons

The rapier was used by gentlemen and common soldiers alike. Its light but deadly blade required changes in fighting techniques that emphasized intellect and training over brute force.

Born in Seville, Spain, Jeronimo Sánchez de Carranza was a nobleman, scientist, and humanist but also an expert swordsman. He created a new school of fighting named destreza (dexterity), that incorporated logic, geometry, and lethal efficiency with a sense of morality. Using these values, he developed the ideal of the honorable warrior-poet, which remained the model for Spanish noblemen for centuries to come.

For his valor in fighting for Phillip II, de Carranza was appointed to the Order of the Image of Christ, formerly known as the Knights Templar. Later, he was sent to the Americas as the governor of Honduras. He died in Guatemala in 1608.
Object Caption (2023): 

Dagger for the Left Hand
Steel and silver (c.1600)
Gift of Shell Youngwall
1988.004.0002a-d

    
The rapier is a thrusting weapon and wielding it requires room to maneuver the blade tip. If the fighters got too close, a dagger in a swordsman’s left hand could either deflect his opponent’s blade or make a lethal stab. For this purpose, swords were often made with matching daggers, designed specifically for left-handed use.