Knife and Sheath
18th century (made)
| Place of origin |
The pihiya or piha kaetta was a hand knife of often delicate workmanship from Southern India and Sri Lanka. It was commonly carried in an ornate scabbard as a personal accessory and sometimes also included a stylus for writing on palm leaf. The degree of decoration often signified the rank or status of the individual and ornate knives were presented to individuals as tokens of esteem.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts. (Some alternative part names are also shown below)
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| Brief description | Knife and sheath piha kaetta, Sri Lanka, 18th or 19th century |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Gallery label | Dagger and sheath: steel blade inlaid with brass; chased silver; horn hilt with inlaid & chased silver; brass mount; dark wood sheath, fluted with silver filigree band; Ceylon, 18 cent.
168-1897 I.S.(pre 1993) |
| Credit line | Purchased from Ralph Nevill, Esq., 89 Chancery Lane |
| Object history | As originally arranged and displayed in Exhibition Road Indian Museum galleries until 1955, with some additions while in storage, case F.696 |
| Summary | The pihiya or piha kaetta was a hand knife of often delicate workmanship from Southern India and Sri Lanka. It was commonly carried in an ornate scabbard as a personal accessory and sometimes also included a stylus for writing on palm leaf. The degree of decoration often signified the rank or status of the individual and ornate knives were presented to individuals as tokens of esteem. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | IS.168&A-1897 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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