Kastane for comments

[Royston]

How many faces are there ?

Has anyone ever seen one like this before ?

Does anyone have any ideas about the faces and their meanings ?

All comments welcome.

I have only had 3 of these over the years and they are not really my field, but this one is so bizzar I had to buy it.

Royston

[Rick]

Fantastic !
I have never seen an example such as this before .

Cast hilt ?
Human face ?
New to my experience .

Could this be a repro; or a true variant ?
Either way, super sword !

[Atlantia]

Very unusual. The 'human' face almaost looks medieval european influenced.
I've never seen one like it, a nice find for sure. Well spotted!

[katana]

Hi Royston, nice find
I hope Artzi doesn't mind, but found these images, not exactly the same, no human head but overall quite similar. What are the dimensions of the blade and do you think it is functional. The reason I ask is that awhile ago I found a Kastane hilted straight bladed example...which turned out to be a 'popular', suitably exotic looking sword ..often used by belly dancers (belly dancers ...not the sword )

http://www.jnanam.net/shastra/kastane/bellydancer.html

The European (looking) head is very interesting, and I hope that your example is indeed, old and not a 'copy', I have seen a couple that were Victorian wall-hangers...but the blades were just for show.

Kind Regards David

[katana]

This maybe 'way off base', but the European looking head has the look of a death mask. Investigating the early history of the the Europeans entering Ceylon, I found this...

".......On 21 August 1630, the Portuguese began the march to return to Colombo but were attacked by the Kandyan army at Vellavaya. Most of the Lascarins betrayed the Portuguese – only 500 remained loyal – and joined the enemy. For the Kandyans this was an overwhelming victory: of the Portuguese expedition, only 130 men survived and surrendered. The captain General Dom Constantino de Sá y Noronha was captured and beheaded. His head was carried by Prince Mahastana (later crowned Rajasimha IIEmperor of Ceylon) and presented to the Emperor Senerat......"

Could the 'head' be a symbolic reminder of this event...I wonder I have not been able to find an image of General Dom Constantino de Sá y Noronha to help / disprove this theory.

Regards David

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by katana

This maybe 'way off base', but the European looking head has the look of a death mask. Investigating the early history of the the Europeans entering Ceylon, I found this...

".......On 21 August 1630, the Portuguese began the march to return to Colombo but were attacked by the Kandyan army at Vellavaya. Most of the Lascarins betrayed the Portuguese – only 500 remained loyal – and joined the enemy. For the Kandyans this was an overwhelming victory: of the Portuguese expedition, only 130 men survived and surrendered. The captain General Dom Constantino de Sá y Noronha was captured and beheaded. His head was carried by Prince Mahastana (later crowned Rajasimha IIEmperor of Ceylon) and presented to the Emperor Senerat......"

Could the 'head' be a symbolic reminder of this event...I wonder I have not been able to find an image of General Dom Constantino de Sá y Noronha to help / disprove this theory.

Regards David

David, I once again have to say I really like the way you think !! Its great to see this kind of deductive reasoning, regardless of whether it proves to be correct or not, and I like the idea you put it out there anyway.
The idea of the death mask has been around for a while, naturally with the English mortuary swords, said to carry the death mask of Charles I. In recent years it seems that that theory has been disproven as examples antedating the event of his execution were found, regardless, the idea remained in folklore as does the term 'mortuary sword' for the form.

In looking at this hilt I still see the 'man in the moon' face seen on so many trade blades, but it seems odd that this would be fashioned into this oddly arranged hilt.

Atlantia, I see you too have joined us in abstract thinking, which I think is the most fun in studying these weapons! Very good thought on the European blade, as we know refashioning these trade blades was quite often done. As a note relating to my man in the moon observation, the 18th century hunting hangers were a primary source for those cabalistic markings.

Its absolutely OK to grasp at straws!!! something I'm considering for my Ph.D!!! Thanks for gettin' out there with us. It often leads to 'discussion', which is as far as I know, why we're here.


Thanks guys,
Jim

[Jim McDougall]

This really is an interesting piece! and actually it is not a 'kastane' (the word derives from the Portuguese term for a decorative walking stick) but an 'interpretation' of one. The Sinhalese kastane seems to be primarily an 18th century form, though the earliest example of the well established hilt form appears to have been in the early 17th century. The ancestry for the motif on these hilts seem to derive from Hindu iconography figures, the figure on the pommel of course the Sinha (=lion) while on quillons are makaras.
Most examples of kastanes have the distinct hilt with quillon system that is believed to derive from those of Arabian nimcha type hilts, which in turn likely were influenced by early Venetian types.

This piece appears to have some sound evidence of age, and reminds me of the old chestnut; "a camel is actually a horse designed by a committee"
The hilt shows all of the correct features incorporated in the typical kastane hilts, however the arrangement is incongruent. The inner vestigial quillons on this interpretation are placed entirely below the upper quillon, and the extended rouded langet has nothing to do with the usual triangular type seen on normal kastanes.

Most interesting of all is the face incorporated into the knuckleguard, which does distinctly show European influence, in recalling the faces typically seen in the man in the moon face seen inscribed on European trade blades. These moon and sun faces are of course cabbalist symbols reflected on many 18th century blades with talismanic/quality implications.

The scabbards on this, as well as on the example Katana has posted seem to reflect the pierced and repousse work seen on sword mountings of the 18th to early 19th century in Hyderabad for export to Arab markets (see "Arms and Armour of Arabia" Elgood, which shows these, many with piercing and brass of 19th century), and the figure at the scabbard tip reminiscent of Ottoman scabbards as well as the thum on Omani janbiyya.

I'm unclear on the unusual blade shape on this, but seems to concur, at least in age estimation, from what I can see, probably 19th century. This seems to be something more intended for presentation or award, and while it would be difficult to place geographically by form, it seems to have been created in that period entering the complex trade networks from SE Asia, India and Arabia.

Extremely nice example, and though not a kastane variant, a very attractive piece. Its a great anomaly, just like I like 'em!!

Best regards,
Jim

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

...(the word derives from the Portuguese term for a decorative walking stick) ...

Is that so Jim? Can you give a track on the Portuguese word ? I just don't get it

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Most examples of kastanes have the distinct hilt with quillon system that is believed to derive from those of Arabian nimcha type hilts, which in turn likely were influenced by early Venetian types.

The ricasso and the down turned quillons in Ceylon swords ... weren't they influenced by Portuguese
Sorry for my ignorance ... and impertinence.
Fernando