{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O158364"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O158364/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KB6814/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2017KB6814/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2017KB6814","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MN4540","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB6816","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB6817","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB6818","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB6823","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB6824","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KB6827","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O158364/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O158364","accessionNumber":"IS.218&A-1964","objectType":"Sword and sheath","titles":[{"title":"Sword of Aurangzeb","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"The watered steel blade of this sword has a gold-overlaid Persian inscription that reads: 'Alamgir padshah 24', suggesting that it was in the armoury of the Mughal emperor Alamgir, widely known by his name Aurangzeb. The number 24 would then indicate the regnal year, corresponding to 1680. The superior chiselled Arabic calligraphy at the forte of the blade, and the very fine dark watering of the steel, do suggest that it was made in the 17th century in a workshop supplying the Mughal court. However, the very poor calligraphy of the inscription claiming it was made for the emperor suggests this is a later addition added to enhance the value of the sword. It was formerly in the collection of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, and was given to the museum by his descendant in 1964.","physicalDescription":"The hilt steel, thickly overlaid with gold; the blade watered steel inlaid with gold.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"watered steel","id":"x42611"},{"text":"gold","id":"AAT11021"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Steel overlaid with gold and blade with watered steel inlaid with gold","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"}],"styles":[{"text":"Mughal","id":"AAT18939"},{"text":"Aurangzeb","id":"AAT18948"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2017KB6814","2020MN4540","2017KB6816","2017KB6817","2017KB6818","2017KB6823","2017KB6824","2017KB6827"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES360692"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"SHLN","id":"THES49063"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"sheaths","id":"AAT198733"}],[{"text":"Sword","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1680","earliest":"1675-01-01","latest":"1684-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Mughal empire"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Lord Kitchener","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"94","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"alamgir padshah 24\r\nYa rahman\r\nYa rahim","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"King Alamgir [regnal year] 24","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"If the numbers refer to Alamgir's 24th regnal year, which seems probable, this would be AH 1091/1680-1.\r\nThe blade also has the conventional ascription to the legendary swordsmith Assadullah Isfahani."},{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""},{"content":" ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Given by the Right Hon. the Earl Kitchener of Khartoum\r\nFrom the armoury of Alamgir, the Mughal emperor.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Sword of Aurangzeb, the hilt steel, thickly overlaid with gold; the blade watered steel inlaid with gold: Mughal, late 17th century.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"Mughal court","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"SWORD OF AURANGZEB: The hilt steel, thickly overlaid with gold; the blade watered steel inlaid with gold: Mughal, late 17th century.","date":{"text":"Nehru Gallery, 2001","earliest":"2001-01-01","latest":"2001-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.218A-1964","IS.218-1964"],"accessionNumberNum":"218","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1964,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Sword sheath","Sword"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-03-13","recordCreationDate":"2008-07-03","availableToBook":false}}