Sinhala / Sri Lankan Swords?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Kuttu Katai (spiked knuckleduster) See http://www.sangam.org/taraki/article...s.php?uid=1510 This is a fascinating article on the general martial forms focusing on Tamil influence ... The spiked knuckle duster technique is a highly specialized vital point or nerve point strike technique with an animal claw type weapon.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Spears and \Lances Daggers /Swords Battle Axes, Bow. Etc. Fairly extensive coverage exists at https://sirimunasiha.wordpress.com/a...-dunumadullan/

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

The question arises as to whether the quilons on a Kastane are real fighting weapon additions or in keeping with a Court Sword of Badge of Office and not for a Battle Sword.
This weapon has been linked by several renowned sword experts in history but have they appreciated the situation or situated the appreciation?

To my eye the Quilons look crushed and unable to trap an opponents blade. They do not look substantial enough and in addition the blades look too flimsy to even need Quilons. Surely this cannot be a fighting weapon.
It is in fact a court sword. In its secondary role a Badge of Office for the secretariat Officers of Mudalier rank in the civil service. In this regard there appear to be two swords... The earlier Kastane may well have been the Golock bladed similar to Storta weapon seen in the famous stone carving but soon after another Kastane appeared ...The Badge of Office almost Bling format court sword.

Because it has apparent turned down Quilons it seems to be embroiled with Islamic weapons such as the Nimcha. In my view this is a muddle perhaps undone since the Quilons of Kastane go back to 14th Century and beyond.

The Vajra was introduced by The Great Buddha into Tibet. Following that it appears on a cutting tool reserved for religious pageants. The 14th Century Tibetto-Chinese sword at Boston Museum for Fine Arts shows a Vajra on a parade sword illustrating the Quilon effect; Below.

Conclusion The Kastane in its Court Sword garb... was never a battle Sword but a badge of Rank/Office only. It took its entire hilt form from the Buddhist traditions including the zoomorphic hilt with Buddhist Deities, Peacock tail and Vajra Quilons;..none of which were intended for a Battle Sword. The Battle Version went before perhaps...but this implement was peaceful but only Traditional, Religious and Iconic.

The link to European weapons in this regard is questionable and cannot be attached to the Quilons because by definition the Kastane doesn't have any since it is not a fighting weapon; so why should it?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[kai]

Hello Ibrahiim,

To my eye the Quilons look crushed and unable to trap an opponents blade. They do not look substantial enough and in addition the blades look too flimsy to even need Quilons. Surely this cannot be a fighting weapon.
It is in fact a court sword. In its secondary role a Badge of Office for the secretariat Officers of Mudalier rank in the civil service. In this regard there appear to be two swords... The earlier Kastane may well have been the Golock bladed similar to Storta weapon seen in the famous stone carving but soon after another Kastane appeared ...The Badge of Office almost Bling format court sword.
<...>
The Kastane in its Court Sword garb... was never a battle Sword but a badge of Rank/Office only.

It's tough to reason with circular logic: If you define kastane as a court sword only, it is not surprising if all kastane sensu Ibrahiim were court swords...

Nobody is arguing that the late court kastane was not meant for fighting. This doesn't imply that earlier members of the same sword lineage can't ever have been fighting swords though.

It took its entire hilt form from the Buddhist traditions including the zoomorphic hilt with Buddhist Deities, Peacock tail and Vajra Quilons;..none of which were intended for a Battle Sword.

The Tibetan sword you show clearly has the vajra included into the hilt design. However, I don't think a compelling case can be made that it's the same for any kastane - it's certainly an interesting thought but doesn't fly without a lot more supporting evidence!

A vajra is a 3-dimensional object symbolizing a four-sided diamond; those 4 "limbs" join into a solid tip - sort of like a war hammer. A kastane only shows 2 planes and the 2 mythical creatures don't really connect to the blade.

Moreover, these creatures are obviously taken from Hindu iconography and already have been utilized as cross guards in Hindu weapons. Much of the early Buddhist iconography is based on Hindu roots. Sri Lankan weapons were obviously based on Hindu weapons (certainly allowing for some additional cross-cultural influences, too).

Last not least, the vajra is the icon of the Vajrayana lineage of Buddhism which never had much of any presence on Sri Lanka.

The link to European weapons in this regard is questionable and cannot be attached to the Quilons because by definition the Kastane doesn't have any since it is not a fighting weapon; so why should it?

Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater unless we have a really compelling reason to do so, shall we? Convincing the mother first, wouldn't hurt either...

Regards,
Kai

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by kai

Hello Ibrahiim,


It's tough to reason with circular logic: If you define kastane as a court sword only, it is not surprising if all kastane sensu Ibrahiim were court swords...

Nobody is arguing that the late court kastane was not meant for fighting. This doesn't imply that earlier members of the same sword lineage can't ever have been fighting swords though.



The Tibetan sword you show clearly has the vajra included into the hilt design. However, I don't think a compelling case can be made that it's the same for any kastane - it's certainly an interesting thought but doesn't fly without a lot more supporting evidence!

A vajra is a 3-dimensional object symbolizing a four-sided diamond; those 4 "limbs" join into a solid tip - sort of like a war hammer. A kastane only shows 2 planes and the 2 mythical creatures don't really connect to the blade.

Moreover, these creatures are obviously taken from Hindu iconography and already have been utilized as cross guards in Hindu weapons. Much of the early Buddhist iconography is based on Hindu roots. Sri Lankan weapons were obviously based on Hindu weapons (certainly allowing for some additional cross-cultural influences, too).

Last not least, the vajra is the icon of the Vajrayana lineage of Buddhism which never had much of any presence on Sri Lanka.



Let's not throw out the baby with the bathwater unless we have a really compelling reason to do so, shall we? Convincing the mother first, wouldn't hurt either...

Regards,
Kai

Salaams Kai ~Please see any site you like about Buddhism in Sri Lanka...It will say something like this...Sri Lanka's population practices a variety of religions. As of the 2011 census 70.19% of Sri Lankans were Theravada Buddhists, 12.6% were Hindus, 9.7% were Muslims (mainly Sunni) and 7.4% Christians (6.1% Roman Catholic and 1.3% other Christian). It will further say how melded into one format are Hindu respected traditions and Buddhist ones.. I would say pretty inseparable. The form is very old 250 BC ...and has had a chequered and changing application of Buddhism and style but the central theme and influence has largely been from its core and from Tibet.

Makara. In the Tibetan Buddhist format it evolved from the Indian form of makara. However, it is different in some ways such as, "display of lions fore paws, a horse's mane, the gills and tendrils of a fish, and the horns of a deer or dragon. From its once simple fishtail, sometimes feathered, now emerges as a complex spiraling floral pattern known as makara-tail design (Sanskritmakaraketu)". At the same time and not to dwell on the hilt variation the makara hilt is known to be similar to the lion style and this difference is placed to one side so the other aspects can be viewed.

In Tibetan iconography, THE VAJRA is depicted as a weapon of strength and tenacity. The Vajrayan weapons which have makara symbolism are; axe, iron hook, curved knife, vajra, and ritual dragon, in all of which the theme is "emergence of the blade from the open mouth of the makara".

The Vajra on the Kastane is usually two because the blade is so flimsy / you cant really fit four around it..but I think the architects of the sword skirted around that by placing two other quilon Iconic animal forms one on the guard and another on the Knuckle guard and the last one on the lower guard making 5. It so happens that 5 or 9 are the accepted ways to illustrate Vajra.

No one to date has fielded such exact proof of technical transfer as this... I show a 14th Century Sword of Tibetto-Chinese form with Vajra in exactly the right position at the throat. Would you like to see more Tibettan weapons with Vajra? The Great Buddha himself walked into Tibet with a Vajra which is why it is so revered across regions.

I didn't say that all phases of the Kastane were non battle weapons ... On the contrary the early stone frieze shows a possible original type of battle Kastane...with a similar blade to the example taken back by Hasekura to Japan and currently in their Museum. I am however linking the Vajra to the Kastane directly from the Tibettan source making it very clear that the Quilons are not European but home grown....and they aren't Quilons!! but are religious decorations known as Vajra.

I do, however, say that the bling hilt is purely court sword and Badge of Office. (There are also reports that the Kastane went into Battle not as a weapon but a badge of rank.) Later but not much later it became a secretaries sword ...but only a badge of Office ...See Mudaliers and below with KASTANE.

Here it is ...

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

As an interlude in proceedings I have unearthed a documented list of items said to have been removed by the Governing powers of the day ruling Sri Lanka. The period covered is extensive thus I searched there in case an early Kastane could be discovered.

On page 15 of this document http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/000...7/038748eb.pdf
I found IM 10/19/10 held at The Britich Museum the hilt portion (incomplete) of a sword Kastane described as ; Pommel of Ivory with Simha head, Grip curved with typical scrollwork, Vaka Deka Motif and floral bands.

15 Century Said to have been presented by King Parakrama Bahu V1. 1415 TO 1467 to a chief of the Weerasinghe family . Very much weathered. Parts missing. Sold for 3 Pounds in March 1910.

There are other swords and weapons but this one is particularly important as it predates the Portuguese. (I dont know if these are still abroad or have been returned to Sri Lanka.)

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Please also note the figure on the scabbard which is also the revered figure seen in Sri Lankan door and window carved relief as the devourer of all evil; The Kirtimukha.

Also seen on door and window carvings.