Sri Lankan Silver & Ivory Mounted Piha-Kaetta Dagger & Scabbard

This is a fine example of an eighteenth century piha-kaetta. The hilt is of ivory with a beautiful mustard-yellow patina finely carved and detailed with a liya-pata pattern. The end of the hilt is encased in a broad rounding of silver that has been chased with typically Ceylonese scrolling foliage patterns, and surmounted by a gilded, spherical tang finial. The hilt is further embellished with fine diamond-shaped leaf motif plaques in silver.

The iron blade is straight with a single edge.

The scabbard is of two halves of grooved, light wood, the upper part of which has been encased in a band of thin, silver sheet. The end of the scabbard is carved as a stylised serapendiya bird head.

Click here to see a related example in the Victoria & Albert Museum.

This piha-kaettais in very fine condition. There are no losses and no repairs. Overall, this is a particularly beautiful example.