{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O452562"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O452562/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER1061/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2011ER1061/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2011ER1061","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1056","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1054","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2011ER1065","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2020MP8311","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O452562/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O452562","accessionNumber":"IS.168&A-1897","objectType":"Knife and sheath","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The <i>pihiya</i> or <i>piha kaetta</i> 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.","physicalDescription":"","artistMakerPerson":[],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"","categories":[{"text":"Arms & Armour","id":"THES48992"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"SSEA","id":"THES48598"},"images":["2011ER1061","2011ER1056","2011ER1054","2011ER1065","2020MP8311"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"47A (VA)","id":"THES49797"},"free":"","case":"CA014","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES340058"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"knife (cutting tool)","id":""}],[{"text":"Piha kaetta","id":""}],[{"text":"Knife sheath","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Sri Lanka","id":"x30937"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"18th century","earliest":"1700-01-01","latest":"1799-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Purchased from Ralph Nevill, Esq., 89 Chancery Lane","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":" ","type":"","note":""},{"content":" ","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"As originally arranged and displayed in Exhibition Road Indian Museum galleries until 1955, with some additions while in storage, case F.696\r\n\r\n260 objects from the collection of Hugh L Nevill (1847-1897) were purchased from his brother Ralph Nevill Esq for £75 in 1897. Hugh Nevill was a British civil servant who served in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) between 1869 and 1888. During his service, he developed an interest in Sri Lankan culture and history assembled a diverse collection of Sri Lankan items including palm leaf manuscripts (now in the British Library), jewellery, bronzes and stones from c. 1865 to 1897. Upon his death, his collection of mainly religious material, ethnographic objects and art metalwork was purchased through his brother by various museums. Sixty items were purchased by the Dublin Museum of Science and Art (National Museum of Ireland), 207 by the Edinburgh Museum of Science and Art (National Museum of Scotland) and 260 by the South Kensington Museum.\r\n\r\nThis acquisition information reflects that found in the Museum records (Asia Department registers and/or Central Inventory) as part of a 2023 provenance research project.\r\n\r\nRP: 45151/97","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Knife and sheath <i>piha kaetta</i>, Sri Lanka, 18th or 19th century","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"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.\r\n168-1897 I.S.","date":{"text":"pre 1993","earliest":null,"latest":"1992-12-31"}}],"partNumbers":["IS.168-1897","IS.168A-1897"],"accessionNumberNum":"168","accessionNumberPrefix":"IS","accessionYear":1897,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","knife (cutting tool)","Knife sheath"],"assets":["2017KA2238","2017KA2237"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-20","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-25","availableToBook":false}}