Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.143

c22.143

A *dat-kaṭuva* (toothpick) and *kan-henda* (ear-spoon, Pl. XLVIII., 13), the former of silver or ivory, the latter of silver, are almost universally carried. In the low-country it is not unusual for women to carry silver chatelaines, based on European models, often consisting of a large bunch of sham keys. There is also a large group, comprising the Dutch forms made at Mātara, chiefly combs, brooches, buttons, rings. Mātara diamonds (white zircons) are largely used. Pl. XLIX., 1, shows a typical example of this work; Figs. 2 and 3 on the same Plate illustrate examples of a brooch and part of a hair pin set with facetted coloured stones. Though generally poor in effect; this low-country ‘Indo-Dutch’ or ‘Indo-Portuguese’ jewellery is sometimes beautiful, and it is possible to meet with ear-rings,