Pha Kaetta
18th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| 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
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Brief description | Tamil hand knife (piha kaetta) with a broad heavy chopping blade; piha khetta; Arms, steel silver horn, inlaid, Sri Lanka, C18 |
| Gallery label | Knife: steel blade & mount partly inlaid & encrusted with chased silver; hilt carved horn & chased silver; Ceylon, 18 cent.
187-1897 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.187-1897 |
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| Record created | June 25, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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