Sinhala / Sri Lankan Swords?

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Originally Posted by SwordsAntiqueWeapons

Dear Gustav,

Thank you for bringing these detailed images forth and indeed Prasanna Weerakkody's post you linked is quite informative and well founded from the start.

Dear Ibrihiim,


Where are you now going with Gargoyles and Dragons?
Steer away from what you read "these days" unless the writings have direct reference and support from the old days.
With respect, I feel the these days experiences, writings and beliefs has clouded the reality of strong fighting sword types in your Oman dance sword thread...but back on point.

Hasn't the discussion confirmed that the pommel is the Lion head, not a gargoyle influenced by the Lions head, I hope you are not now jumping from Makaras to Gargoyles...happy to work through the remainded of the icons and what creature owns the Lion head along with what appears on the quillons, quillon block and knuckle bow, followed by the blade types and perhaps any meanings and if required the scabbards found on the Kastane...but to do so we need to agree on a single sword to study and discuss to keep things on point, then once satisfied, bring other swords in to the discussion to add merit to what is found or add varient notes and study these varients.

I'd like to also add that whilst both misleading and valuable information has been gained in this thread, the focus has singlely become the Kastane hilt that lead to over a year of walking down the garden path. The initial thread/question posted was about the swords of Sri lanka, perhaps we can diverse a little and consider other types too. Some very fine images have already been provided but the focus of the topic has been lost to the Kastane alone.

Gavin

Salaams ...SwordsAntiqueWeapons Yes, you are advised to stick to the point as mixing the two is not going to assist this case and certainly of no value in the other.

I don't want to list the heap of notes from auctioneers museums and Kastane descriptions offering the variety of explanations on the style... it runs to a lot... when in fact my simple array covers most of them as Gargoyles
Mythical creature Makara, Lion, Naga, Seren...etc etc ... which is a reasonable way to describe this phenomena since at the end of the day it is an artisans impression thus no two are identical...and indeed there were many artisans.

This thread is about the Kastane. If you wish to diversify please carry on~ the ink is free... but I would consider if I were you ... in the case of another sword, opening a new thread... unless it be related to the Kastane.

There are great new avenues opening not least the new information hitherto not recorded on library except in passing... like the fine details just recieved on the Japanese Museum item and the anecdotal evidence from 1807 etc etc making this thread far from a stroll down the same path alluded to by you.. and marked by the high readership of now more than 13,000 hits...so somebody is reading the thread, no?

All input is very much appreciated and it should be remembered that this is a joint forum effort and that there is a lot more to do.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.