Glossary
Koftgari
Also written · kaftgari · damascening
What is Koftgari?
Koftgari is the damascening of iron and steel with precious metal. The ground is hatched with a fine chisel, gold or silver wire is hammered into the roughened surface until it keys, and the whole is burnished flat and heated. It is the usual decoration of Indian arms and armour, where a pattern must survive being handled.