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<em>Sword Pommel</em>, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_PS9.jpg)
Sword Pommel, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_PS9.jpg)
<em>Sword Pommel</em>, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_PS9.jpg)

Sword Pommel, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_PS9.jpg)

<em>Sword Pommel</em>, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_transp4616.jpg)

Sword Pommel, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_transp4616.jpg)

<em>Sword Pommel</em>, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.910_bw.jpg)

Sword Pommel, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.09.910_bw.jpg)

<em>Sword Pommel</em>, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_acetate_bw.jpg)

Sword Pommel, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_acetate_bw.jpg)

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Sword Pommel

Asian Art

On View: Asian Galleries, Arts of Japan, 2nd floor
These two pieces originally appeared at the ends of sword handles. Wider than the grip of the sword, the pommel keeps the weapon from slipping out of the user’s hand. Both pommels feature images of dragons; in one example, two stylized dragons play with a central ball that represents a pearl, a motif likely borrowed from Chinese art. These pieces and the magatama beads shown here were purchased by Stewart Culin, the Museum’s former Curator of Ethnography, on his first trip to Japan in 1909.
This text refers to these objects: 09.910; 09.909
MEDIUM Gold plated bronze
  • Place Made: Japan
    • DATES circa 300 – 600 C.E.
    PERIOD Likely Kofun period
    DIMENSIONS 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm) Base: 1 3/4 x 1 11/16 x 15/16 in. (4.5 x 4.3 x 2.4 cm) Ring: 3 3/8 x 2 11/16 in. (8.6 x 6.8 cm)  (show scale)
    COLLECTIONS Asian Art
    ACCESSION NUMBER 09.910
    CREDIT LINE Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund
    EXHIBITIONS
    MUSEUM LOCATION This item is on view in Asian Galleries, Arts of Japan, 2nd floor
    CAPTION Sword Pommel, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_PS9.jpg)
    IMAGE overall, 09.910_PS9.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2014
    "CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
    RIGHTS STATEMENT Creative Commons-BY
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    <em>Sword Pommel</em>, circa 300 – 600 C.E. Gold plated bronze, 4 5/16 x 3 9/16 in. (11 x 9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1909, Purchased with funds given by Thomas T. Barr, E. LeGrand Beers, Carll H. de Silver, Herman B. Stutzer, Colonel Robert B. Woodward and the Museum Collection Fund, 09.910. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 09.910_PS9.jpg)

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