Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c21.3

c21.3

Whilst in Africa and India elephants of both sexes have tusks, in Ceylon not more than one in a hundred possess them, and those exclusively males; and these are particularly valued, as the tusks are of so much use in enabling them to perform any work required of them. But nearly all Ceylon elephants have ‘tushes’ or tusks not more than a foot or so in length and an inch or two in thickness. The tusks of those elephants which possess them rarely exceed fifty or sixty pounds in weight. Large tusks are highly valued and generally form part of the treasure of the greater vihāras and dēvāles; it is usual to place a pair of tusks on either side of temple doorways, either permanently or on special occasions. They are to be found in the dēvāle storerooms still, and were kept in reserve, ready to be given to the temple craftsmen whenever work in ivory at or for the temple was required. In a vihāra at Badulla may be seen a large pair with an inlaid inscription in silver letters. Ceylon ivory is valued in the East above African on account of its density of texture and delicacy of tint; but the quantity obtainable must always have been small. It is indeed surprising that under the circumstances, so large an amount of work in ivory should exist and such great skill in its manipulation attained.