Sinhala / Sri Lankan Swords?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

3.The nature of the blade profile does seem to have storta characteristics, at least in certain examples of those North Italian swords which of course had varying forms. Then there is the case of the creatures head on the peak of the blade at the back nearing the point, which resembles various 'oriental style mythical beasts.


Salaams Jim, This is indeed a puzzle! I suggest that one scenario may have the weapon arriving into the Philipines via Acapulco and across the Pacific...whilst another perhaps has a hybrid being made for presentation specially and from existing parts of various different mixed Chinese and other spare parts in the King of Spains workshops in the Philipines? It puzzles a lot of people that here we are holding up for comparison a Spanish delivered sword of curious origin presented to the Japanese in Manila in 1620, looking like a hybrid Sri Lankan Kastane but possibly nothing to do with Sri Lanka at all! (except the hilt is interesting from that perspective) see below for another clearly Lion like hilt on a Storta.

I have identified a number of weapons whose blades meet some of the criteria but I wonder where the monster came from?...If the blade is a Storta was it struck later perhaps just prior to the presentation date? If the Japanese struck the blade stamps did they simply add the monster decoration at the same time? Is it all a mixed bag with Chinese/ Oriental features? The fullers are very interesting...as you note.

Please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12064 where a comparison is quite close.

Viewing the Storta line up below we also confront a Lion Head hilt...?

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.