Sinhala / Sri Lankan Swords?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Salaams all...Spears of Sri Lanka. For interest from...http://srilanka.for91days.com/tag/tradition/
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[napoleon]

saalams ibrahiim,interestingly the veddhas still exist in ceylon as an ethnic minority of small number i think 500 or so still living a traditional life,just got through reading knox,puts things more in perspective for me, with clear references to kastane and piha kaetta,

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by napoleon

saalams ibrahiim,interestingly the veddhas still exist in ceylon as an ethnic minority of small number i think 500 or so still living a traditional life,just got through reading knox,puts things more in perspective for me, with clear references to kastane and piha kaetta,

Salaams Napoleon ~ Its not a bad way of breaking into the subject whilst having a weather eye on the poetic licence of the author..Knox is good background stuff though he appears a little late in proceedings, however, it makes good reading. Well done for ploughing through it !

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by napoleon

... interestingly the veddhas still exist in ceylon as an ethnic minority of small number i think 500 or so still living a traditional life, just got through reading knox ...

Hi Napoleon
It looks like they have never been so many
I see that Robert Knox arrived in Ceylon in 1659, one year after Portuguese João Ribeiro left the island (captured by the Dutch in 1658), where he has been since 1640. Ribeiro wrote his work (Historic Fatality of Ceylon) in 1680 and this was only published 1685. Although Knox wrote his work in 1681, Ribeiro’s experiences are earlier, especially in what touches local war episodes. However both descriptions of the Vedas don’t differ so much in the essential.
On the other hand, i am surprised in that Knox places the Vedas in the 'Land of Bintan' (Indonesia?), whereas Ribeiro places them in the Northern Ceylonese lands of Vanni, between Jaffna and Trincomalee, in the middle of two separating rivers, along 10 leagues of coast and 8 leagues inland, an area of very dense bushes; and they were so few that within these 10 leagues they wandered in those bushes and almost wouldn’t communicate ones with the others… despite a legend told by locals that would implicate in these people being in large number.
Ribeiro also stresses that they wouldn’t stay in permanent villages. Each family stayed in a place no more than six months, enough to plant seed and harvest the result; then they moved somewhere else.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by fernando

Hi Napoleon
It looks like they have never been so many
I see that Robert Knox arrived in Ceylon in 1659, one year after Portuguese João Ribeiro left the island (captured by the Dutch in 1658), where he has been since 1640. Ribeiro wrote his work (Historic Fatality of Ceylon) in 1680 and this was only published 1685. Although Knox wrote his work in 1681, Ribeiro’s experiences are earlier, especially in what touches local war episodes. However both descriptions of the Vedas don’t differ so much in the essential.
On the other hand, i am surprised in that Knox places the Vedas in the 'Land of Bintan' (Indonesia?), whereas Ribeiro places them in the Northern Ceylonese lands of Vanni, between Jaffna and Trincomalee, in the middle of two separating rivers, along 10 leagues of coast and 8 leagues inland, an area of very dense bushes; and they were so few that within these 10 leagues they wandered in those bushes and almost wouldn’t communicate ones with the others… despite a legend told by locals that would implicate in these people being in large number.
Ribeiro also stresses that they wouldn’t stay in permanent villages. Each family stayed in a place no more than six months, enough to plant seed and harvest the result; then they moved somewhere else.

Thank you for this additional perspective from Portuguese resources, which gives us valuable insight from much fuller spectrum. Nicely added Nando!!

All the best,
Jim

[napoleon]

thank you ibrahiim ,fernando and jim,particularly for the portugese reference, a bit more reading if i can access a copy,i think the thread is still going well,but also feel that,any pics of examples,absolutely any,however rusty to anything gold mounted, gem encrusted, with or without inscriptions(are there any?) ?.regards napoleon

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by napoleon

thank you ibrahiim ,fernando and jim,particularly for the portugese reference, a bit more reading if i can access a copy,i think the thread is still going well,but also feel that,any pics of examples,absolutely any,however rusty to anything gold mounted, gem encrusted, with or without inscriptions(are there any?) ?.regards napoleon

Salaams Napoleon...Just picking up on "anything gold mounted, gem encrusted" Do you refer to the Kastane? If so, I think you mean to post this on The Sinhalese Kastane: Its Development, Decoration and Symbolism...I am not certain what other weapons (not counting the Piha Kheata) would fall into that category..For some stunning pictures of Kastane Pinterest does some good pictures and also some of our own museum visiting members have taken great pictures in various venues like The Wallace Collection ~ just tap into Forum Library.

Good luck on your continued research. Thanks

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF TWO DAGGERS SAID TO BE FROM SOUTHERN INDIA. I HAVE NO FURTHER INFORMATION ON THEM BUT THE POMMELS USEING MYTHICAL OR REAL REVERED CREATURES WERE IN USE THERE AS WELL AS CEYLON.