Dagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and Sheath

Dagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and Sheath

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

It is common to find a sylus accompanying a piha kaetta, the traditional form of Sri Lankan knife. The stylus is a customary Sri Lankan writing implement for palm-leaf paper. After the letters are incised with the stylus into the paper, black ink is rubbed over the surface and wiped off.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Dagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and SheathDagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and SheathDagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and SheathDagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and SheathDagger (<i>Piha Kaetta</i>) with Stylus and Sheath

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.