Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c29.s2.1

c29.s2.1

Grass mats (peḍuru) are made by the Pannayō or grass cutters, and also, but more particularly for their own use, by women of all castes, including govivamsa; and the making of decorated grass mats, dishes, and baskets was a domestic accomplishment which even the daughters of a chief did not despise. The mats here referred to are made from various grasses (hevan, Cyperus dehiscens, galẹhi, C. corymbosus, etc.) and palm leaves (indi-kola, Phoenix zeylanica; coconut; talipot, Corypha umbraculifera; and palmyra). The best are those made of indi-kola or hevan. Beside mats, baskets are made, also betel pouches (bulat malu), boxes, etc., of dyed grasses. The grass-weaver uses a grass knife having a point at one end, and a cutting edge at the other. A combined sickle and point for weaving, like that shown in Pl. XLV., 11, is called pan ketta; a tool consisting of a small straight blade only, and a point at the other end, is called hẹmbili-kaṭuva.