Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.38

c22.38

The blacksmiths' almost invariable *penuma* to the proprietor consists of a *giraya* or arecanut slicer. The nature of these most indispensable of personal possessions will be understood from the illustrations on Pl. XLVI., 1-9; these represent a few of the more elaborately ornamented forms, but the variety and number is so great as to make it impossible to do this adequately. The *killōtaya* or lime box is but rarely made of iron or steel, but generally of copper, brass, or one of the precious metals. Betel pounders (*bulat-vaṅgeḍi*) are small iron mortars with a brass-mounted pestle working through a screw lid, used by old and toothless persons for grinding up the ingredients of a chew (betel leaf, lime and spices). Elephant goads are often elaborate and beautiful, and even if of plain iron are well shaped and graceful. They are said to be formed after the model of the claw of the *et-kanda-lihiniya*, the great elephant-devouring roc (Fig. 16). They are mounted on lacquered sticks and used as indicated in Pl. I., by the rider and the keeper of the elephant; the name *aṅkusa* is applied to the rider's goad, *heṇḍuva* to the keeper's.