The chief characteristic of the blades of the Middle East is the
beautiful watered pattern of the Damascus steel, discussed on page 20.
Unfortunately this pattern is too delicate to show well in reproduction,
but it may readily be observed in the actual objects, exhibited in the
gallery of Middle Eastern Art. Two knives are shown in Fig. 35,
illustrating delicate Damascene work in gold and similar ornament
carried out not by inlay of another metal, but by chiselling in low
relief.
[Illustration: _Fig. 35. Persian dagger-knives of the seventeenth
century, equally useful as tool and as weapon, and beautiful too!_]
Fig. 36 shows a Persian sword hilt of solid gold, from the late
thirteenth or fourteenth century. The ends of its guard are formed as
the heads of lions. It is engraved with floral arabesques and a
calligraphic inscription. The engraved lines are filled in with black
pigment (_niello_).
[Illustration: _Fig. 36. A Persian sword hilt of solid gold,
XIII-XIV century, inscribed: “Salute to Mohammed”._]