Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.30

c22.30

The blacksmith’s forge is somewhat similar to the smelter’s hearth, having a wattle and daub wall between the hearth and the bellows. The latter may be of several kinds, either like the English form, or the iron-smelter’s bellows already described, and consisting of two bullock-hide bags, with a bamboo nozzle, and at the other end a wide slit with wooden lips; air is admitted through these lips, which are then closed and the bellows compressed; the blower sits between the two bellows and works each in turn so as to keep up a continuous blast. The blacksmith’s tools consist of hammers, tongs and pincers, files, punches, etc., beside the *gal-torapanaya* (Fig. 91), or instrument for boring holes, shown in use on Pl. V., 6.