Piha Kaetta

nechesh · 20th March 2005, 11:37 PM

Hey Bill. Finally come out of the closet, eh?

I should talk, right.

Anyway, i don't know a thing about these except that if i wasn't so obsessed with keris these might make a good substitute. This looks like a pretty nice one. I've scene more extravagant ones, but this piece looks fairly complete and intact with nice metal work. Nice gift for the Misses, better watch yourself from now on. I wish i could convince my wife she needs to buy me one.

Bill M · 20th March 2005, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nechesh

Hey Bill. Finally come out of the closet, eh?

I should talk, right.

Anyway, i don't know a thing about these except that if i wasn't so obsessed with keris these might make a good substitute. This looks like a pretty nice one. I've scene more extravagant ones, but this piece looks fairly complete and intact with nice metal work. Nice gift for the Misses, better watch yourself from now on. I wish i could convince my wife she needs to buy me one.

A Hebrew Serpent talking about an Indonesian Serpent!

Ferguson · 21st March 2005, 01:11 AM

I love these. Here's a link someone posted here once before.

http://www.pihakaetta.com./

Steve

CharlesS · 21st March 2005, 03:18 AM

Nice example...always nice to find complete with scabbard. The hilt embellishments on these are so fragile it's a real miracle to find a complete one. I believe the scroll at the top of the blade was probably overlaid in good silver at one time. It gives the pia kaetta yet another unique and dramatic look.

Pia kaettas were not reserved for nobles(though certainly the one Bob Hales showed were!!), but they vary enormously in quality and materials....as well as size.

Good catch!

Federico · 21st March 2005, 05:07 AM

Ya know Nechesh, I was told once, in passing that some believe that the hilt form of the Piha Kaetta was a precursor for the Javanese kris hilt form. Now this was told to me in passing, along the same lines as I am repeating it here (heard from a friend from a friend, etc...), so take it with a grain of salt, but perhaps a subconscious reason for the attraction?

nechesh · 21st March 2005, 11:38 AM

One can not deny a certain family resemblence.

derek · 21st March 2005, 02:45 PM

How do I contact Rober Hales? I'd like to see if he would be willing to share his info from Timonium on pihakaetta.com.

When thinking about pihakaettas a distinction needs to be made between those made by the "Four Workshops" and those made elsewhere. The four workshops were craftsmen employed by the king and it is nearly certain that all of those produced would have been for nobles, chiefs, or important people.

There is a reference in a hard copy of an old anthropological society article that I will have to dig up that indicates some pihas were used for fighting. We can probably assume that these would have been the less ornate examples. But this is the only mention I have found and I would challenge anyone to produce more info on this. I would love to see it!

Again (I've noted this before), piha and kaetta are two completely different terms in Sinhalese and they don't call the ornate knives by this term. They simply call them pihiya. Da kaetta is a work knife, a totally different form.

Bill, a very good example. The sheath is in great shape and that's tough to find.

-d

20th March 2005, 11:37 PM	#1
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	Hey Bill. Finally come out of the closet, eh? I should talk, right. Anyway, i don't know a thing about these except that if i wasn't so obsessed with keris these might make a good substitute. This looks like a pretty nice one. I've scene more extravagant ones, but this piece looks fairly complete and intact with nice metal work. Nice gift for the Misses, better watch yourself from now on. I wish i could convince my wife she needs to buy me one.

21st March 2005, 01:11 AM	#3
Ferguson Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Kernersville, NC, USA Posts: 793	I love these. Here's a link someone posted here once before. http://www.pihakaetta.com./ Steve

21st March 2005, 03:18 AM	#4
CharlesS Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Greenville, NC Posts: 1,854	Nice example...always nice to find complete with scabbard. The hilt embellishments on these are so fragile it's a real miracle to find a complete one. I believe the scroll at the top of the blade was probably overlaid in good silver at one time. It gives the pia kaetta yet another unique and dramatic look. Pia kaettas were not reserved for nobles(though certainly the one Bob Hales showed were!!), but they vary enormously in quality and materials....as well as size. Good catch!

21st March 2005, 05:07 AM	#5
Federico Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Minneapolis, MN, USA Posts: 312	Ya know Nechesh, I was told once, in passing that some believe that the hilt form of the Piha Kaetta was a precursor for the Javanese kris hilt form. Now this was told to me in passing, along the same lines as I am repeating it here (heard from a friend from a friend, etc...), so take it with a grain of salt, but perhaps a subconscious reason for the attraction?

21st March 2005, 11:38 AM	#6
nechesh Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 940	One can not deny a certain family resemblence.

21st March 2005, 02:45 PM	#7
derek Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 215	How do I contact Rober Hales? I'd like to see if he would be willing to share his info from Timonium on pihakaetta.com. When thinking about pihakaettas a distinction needs to be made between those made by the "Four Workshops" and those made elsewhere. The four workshops were craftsmen employed by the king and it is nearly certain that all of those produced would have been for nobles, chiefs, or important people. There is a reference in a hard copy of an old anthropological society article that I will have to dig up that indicates some pihas were used for fighting. We can probably assume that these would have been the less ornate examples. But this is the only mention I have found and I would challenge anyone to produce more info on this. I would love to see it! Again (I've noted this before), piha and kaetta are two completely different terms in Sinhalese and they don't call the ornate knives by this term. They simply call them pihiya. Da kaetta is a work knife, a totally different form. Bill, a very good example. The sheath is in great shape and that's tough to find. -d