Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Ibrahiim al Balooshi · 14th January 2014, 09:17 AM

Salaams All. Moving forward... It is interesting that the iconic weapon Kastane (now the National Sword of Sri Lanka) appears to have little or no blade markings... marks of high quality blades often seen on Portuguese swords are absent on these weapons. Why?

It struck me that...No Kastane has ever turned up with a properly marked/ stamped blade ... particularly odd since the Portuguese were good at that. So what are these things about? I suggest:

1. Court Swords... Popham Armour, Jewel encrusted gold and silver inlaid...
2. Presentration Swords.. Japanese Delegation and in their Museum ...
3. VIP swords for the Sri Lankan landed gentry...see below.
4. Religious Icons... The Buddhist Vagra and Makara. Defender of the faith ...of Buddhism that is. Thus never a weapon. A religious Icon.
5. Defenders of the owners via myth and superstition because of its Deities.... It is Talismanic per se.
6. Added in retrospect ...Badges of rank of the wearer.

The blade is not marked nor stamped for excellence ...the blade is not for fighting... the enriched ruby encrusted gilded hilt would never be wielded in a fight ... a kind of a reverse engineering twist; in the same way that a crucifix or perhaps the cross and orb artifact wouldn't be used as a weapon to club someone to death!!..Neither would this be used as a dagger/ sword in a fight.. since this would dishonour the religion.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

14th January 2014, 09:17 AM	#165
Ibrahiim al Balooshi Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Buraimi Oman, on the border with the UAE Posts: 4,408	Kastane; Not a Fighting Weapon. Icon only. Salaams All. Moving forward... It is interesting that the iconic weapon Kastane (now the National Sword of Sri Lanka) appears to have little or no blade markings... marks of high quality blades often seen on Portuguese swords are absent on these weapons. Why? It struck me that...No Kastane has ever turned up with a properly marked/ stamped blade ... particularly odd since the Portuguese were good at that. So what are these things about? I suggest: 1. Court Swords... Popham Armour, Jewel encrusted gold and silver inlaid... 2. Presentration Swords.. Japanese Delegation and in their Museum ... 3. VIP swords for the Sri Lankan landed gentry...see below. 4. Religious Icons... The Buddhist Vagra and Makara. Defender of the faith ...of Buddhism that is. Thus never a weapon. A religious Icon. 5. Defenders of the owners via myth and superstition because of its Deities.... It is Talismanic per se. 6. Added in retrospect ...Badges of rank of the wearer. The blade is not marked nor stamped for excellence ...the blade is not for fighting... the enriched ruby encrusted gilded hilt would never be wielded in a fight ... a kind of a reverse engineering twist; in the same way that a crucifix or perhaps the cross and orb artifact wouldn't be used as a weapon to club someone to death!!..Neither would this be used as a dagger/ sword in a fight.. since this would dishonour the religion. Regards, Ibrahiim al Balooshi. Attached Images Last edited by Ibrahiim al Balooshi; 14th January 2014 at 01:48 PM.