Sinhala / Sri Lankan Swords?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by ariel

Well, as I said earlier, finding of a pre-Portugese Kastane was the absolutely-required piece of evidence. If there is no such example in existence, we are back to the drawing board...

Another example of the great tragedy of science: a beautiful Hypothesis slain by an ugly Fact:-)


Ibrahim, keep searching: it is not always revealing, but it is a lot of fun!

Be well and prosper, my friend!

Salaams Ariel ~ Well yes and no. My first hypothesis is outweighed by the fact that, as you say, there is no evidence to support a pre Portuguese Kastane ... but there is a load of it supporting their involvement in naming the weapon and being involved in weapons production with the Sri Lankan masters after they set foot on the Island. I therefor supplant my first effort with a more proven logical and sound re appraisal as;

The Castane, named so by the Portuguese, was introduced designed and built with Portuguese collaboration in Royal workshops in Sri Lanka in the late 1500/early1600s... and variously afterwards for many centuries. The Portuguese part of the design may have introduced the basic hilt shape and *cutlass fashion popular in Portuguese/Spanish Jinetta forms whilst the main theme came from the Sri Lankan design taken from Buddhist structures in history encompassing Makara, supporting Deities and Buddhist ritual-item related Quillons (as at #115).

*I will stick with that for now and add that the reason for the inclusion of the words cutlass fashion is to net in the similar curved short Nimcha style (and assuming a cutlass action of a short ships sword).

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.