Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c38.37

c38.37

1. *Idi appan van-geḍiya*, ‘string ‘hopper’ masher.’ The central part consists of a cylinder in which a piston works up and down; cooked rice flour is placed in the cylinder and squeezed out through the holes in a metal plate beneath, much as potatoes are wormed in a masher. ‘Hoppers’ (a corruption of *appa*) are a kind of rice bread especially used at the first daily meal; there are two chief sorts, the ordinary, and the ‘string’ hopper. Machines for preparing the latter are not often so elaborately carved as that figured, which was lately presented by Mr. T. B. Paraṇātella to the Kandy Museum. It may have been used in the Royal kitchen, or in that of some chief; but the use of ornamented tools and kitchen and agricultural implements was equally characteristic of all classes. Measurements, 16 × 6⅜ inches, diameter of cylinder, 1⅞ inch.
2. Door bolt (*agula*), carved with *liya pata* ornament, and on the right *kuṇḍi rakkan* diaper. Malvatte Pansala.
3. Bed-head (*isa kaḍaya*), Kandy Museum. Length 30 inches. *Serapeṇḍiya*, lion and *liya-vela* (branch) ornament, framed by a variety of diapers.
4. Three-legged stool (*baṅkuva*). The legs are fitted to the seat by housed dovetails. The top is carved with a central lotus, primitive ‘*Wellenranke*,’ two-ply plait and chevron or wave patterns. Height 9¼ inches. Many of these stools have been copied by the Kandy Industrial School, and sold by the Ceylon Social Reform Society, as examples of Kandyan furniture. 5, 6, 7. Spoon-racks (*heṇḍi-āna-val*). No. 5 from the Kandy Museum, with ‘*kibihi*’ (lion) face above, and *haṃsa paṭṭuva* below. The influence of architectural forms is seen in the ‘stepping’ of *asana kaḍa* type. No. 6 has also a ‘*kibihi*’ face above; Nos. 6 and 7 have *lanugeṭa* (plait) ornament. Both are in the Colombo Museum collection. The spoon-rack used to be a regular article of kitchen furniture; the long thin handles of the coconut-shell spoons used in cooking are slipped through the holes in the rack. Racks of plaited grass are also used in some districts.