Weapon or tool?

Billman · 24th February 2011, 06:20 PM

Not Nepalese, Ceylonese (now Sri Lanka) - a very ornate form of the local billhook (or one of the local shapes) generally known as a "catte"... pronounced kattay - not sure of the spelling as currently in France and my archives are in the UK...

So a tool (CH serpe/gertel/hippe/heppe/haumesser), not a weapon....

In the Stone image above, nos 3 and 4 (possibly also no 5) look to be from Ceylon as well....

Just checked the web - one version called a Ran-kaetta- see: http://books.google.fr/books?id=Nk8x...llhook&f=false

Also cattie, see: http://www.scribd.com/doc/29997802/Old-Ceylon-1877

Also ketta, see: http://www.jstor.org/pss/93135

chregu · 24th February 2011, 07:16 PM

hello Billman
Thank you for this absolutely great information.
Sincerely Chregu

Billman · 24th February 2011, 10:31 PM

Very pleased to have been of help - I've just found a few more alternative spellings:

"Catty" we use comes from the Tamil "Katthi" - a knife or billhook - see: http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/cult/38.htm

Also 'ketha' see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srilan...s/message/3739

In southern India the local name for a billhook is 'kandali' in the kannada language - which I guess may have the same etymological roots

see: http://books.google.fr/books?id=E1C3...page&q&f=false

Once you start searching the www it is difficult to stop...

Amuk Murugul · 25th February 2011, 12:58 AM

Hullo everybody,

As there have been much 'cross-pollination' between Sri Lanka and the Archipelago over the centuries, I thought I'd include the Soenda term for this 'billhook': Tjongkrang.

Best,

Billman · 25th February 2011, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amuk Murugul

Hullo everybody,

As there have been much 'cross-pollination' between Sri Lanka and the Archipelago over the centuries, I thought I'd include the Soenda term for this 'billhook': Tjongkrang.

Many thanks - another word for my billhook lexicon - only a few thousand other languages and dialects to go.....

Jenny Ida · 25th February 2011, 08:10 PM

Note the resemblance to SEA mak

Billman · 20th March 2011, 02:16 PM

Hi just found some images from Parker, ref tools from Ceylon...

Just need to remember who Parker is....

Update: Found it - H Parker, Ancient Ceylon 1909 - see http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N...page&q&f=false

24th February 2011, 06:20 PM	#1
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Catte Not Nepalese, Ceylonese (now Sri Lanka) - a very ornate form of the local billhook (or one of the local shapes) generally known as a "catte"... pronounced kattay - not sure of the spelling as currently in France and my archives are in the UK... So a tool (CH serpe/gertel/hippe/heppe/haumesser), not a weapon.... In the Stone image above, nos 3 and 4 (possibly also no 5) look to be from Ceylon as well.... Just checked the web - one version called a Ran-kaetta- see: http://books.google.fr/books?id=Nk8x...llhook&f=false Also cattie, see: http://www.scribd.com/doc/29997802/Old-Ceylon-1877 Also ketta, see: http://www.jstor.org/pss/93135 Last edited by Billman; 24th February 2011 at 07:07 PM.

24th February 2011, 10:31 PM	#3
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Alternative spellings Very pleased to have been of help - I've just found a few more alternative spellings: "Catty" we use comes from the Tamil "Katthi" - a knife or billhook - see: http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/cult/38.htm Also 'ketha' see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/srilan...s/message/3739 In southern India the local name for a billhook is 'kandali' in the kannada language - which I guess may have the same etymological roots see: http://books.google.fr/books?id=E1C3...page&q&f=false Once you start searching the www it is difficult to stop...

20th March 2011, 02:16 PM	#7
Billman Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Posts: 129	Hi just found some images from Parker, ref tools from Ceylon... Just need to remember who Parker is.... Update: Found it - H Parker, Ancient Ceylon 1909 - see http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=N...page&q&f=false Attached Images

24th February 2011, 07:16 PM	#2
chregu Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: switzerland Posts: 298	hello Billman Thank you for this absolutely great information. Sincerely Chregu

25th February 2011, 12:58 AM	#4
Amuk Murugul Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kaboejoetan Galoenggoeng Mélben Posts: 458	Hullo everybody, As there have been much 'cross-pollination' between Sri Lanka and the Archipelago over the centuries, I thought I'd include the Soenda term for this 'billhook': Tjongkrang. Best,

25th February 2011, 08:10 PM	#6
Jenny Ida Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 12	Note the resemblance to SEA mak