Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

M ELEY · 30th March 2010, 01:43 PM

Hello Anandalal,

I'll have to take a shot of the whole blade as soon as I get a chance. The blade is just like a falchion's, swelling toward the point and then coming to the typical edge. I still feel Cornelis has nailed this one on the head, being of Singhalese origin where it possesses just enough of the kastane's features to show its origins while pointing to a weapon for export to the Dutch market. The sword mentioned in the previous volumes is a hanger with fine ivory hilt in this exact pattern, only much more detailed. It was listed as Singhalese and made probably for the Dutch EIC, although the pic doesn't show any marking to stake this theory of company use down concretely.

The heraldry you list does indeed show patterns of diamond-like dots and as seen on the dump coin, they used this pattern as found on my sword. My personal opinion as to the origin of this cross-like pattern of diamonds is that it goes back to the early Ceylon empire and the maneless lion coin I mention above dating to 200 A.D. Perhaps when the Shri Lanken people began creating the lion-hilt swords, they remembered their ancient lion coins and it's symbol, placing it here.(As both you and Jim pointed out, they had a great fondness for the lion in their culture). Later, as the Dutch produced coins and later swords, they might have adapted this early marking. This isn't too much of a stretch as Jim pointed out that the stuvier also has what appears to be possible Tamil or Singhalese symbols. Just a theory, but it could fit. In any case, I feel mid/late 17th c. Perhaps mine was an early native model for the later prized copies or was made after them in appreciation for their patterning.

30th March 2010, 01:43 PM	#14
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,073	Hello Anandalal, I'll have to take a shot of the whole blade as soon as I get a chance. The blade is just like a falchion's, swelling toward the point and then coming to the typical edge. I still feel Cornelis has nailed this one on the head, being of Singhalese origin where it possesses just enough of the kastane's features to show its origins while pointing to a weapon for export to the Dutch market. The sword mentioned in the previous volumes is a hanger with fine ivory hilt in this exact pattern, only much more detailed. It was listed as Singhalese and made probably for the Dutch EIC, although the pic doesn't show any marking to stake this theory of company use down concretely. The heraldry you list does indeed show patterns of diamond-like dots and as seen on the dump coin, they used this pattern as found on my sword. My personal opinion as to the origin of this cross-like pattern of diamonds is that it goes back to the early Ceylon empire and the maneless lion coin I mention above dating to 200 A.D. Perhaps when the Shri Lanken people began creating the lion-hilt swords, they remembered their ancient lion coins and it's symbol, placing it here.(As both you and Jim pointed out, they had a great fondness for the lion in their culture). Later, as the Dutch produced coins and later swords, they might have adapted this early marking. This isn't too much of a stretch as Jim pointed out that the stuvier also has what appears to be possible Tamil or Singhalese symbols. Just a theory, but it could fit. In any case, I feel mid/late 17th c. Perhaps mine was an early native model for the later prized copies or was made after them in appreciation for their patterning.