Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c38.71

c38.71

PLATE XXXVII. IVORY. 1, 2, 3, 4. Ivory handles of knives. Author’s collection.
1. Turned handle, ornamented with incised circles filled with red lac.
2. Most usual type, with *liya pata* carving.
3. *Serapeṇdiya* head.
4. Simple form with leaf-like scroll.
5. *Pot-kambiya*, book-cover. *Liya vela* centre panel, *eka poṭa lanuva*, and *pala peṭi* border and moulding. Measures 4½ × 2½ inches. Property of an ex-Āracci at Horagone. 6, 7, 8, 9. Fan handles. Turned ivory, ornamented with incised lines and circles, filled with red lac. The small pieces above (missing in 7 and 8) are fixed at the top of the actual fan. Lent by A. R. Casse Lebbe.
10. *Uḍakkiya*, ivory drum frame, Colombo Museum, lent by Mr. P. E. Pieris, C.C.S. Height 7⅛ inches, diameter 4⁷⁄₁₆ inches.
11. *Horaṇǣva*, ivory oboe. Ornamented with incised lines and circles, filled with red lac. The mouth-piece and bell are of brass or bronze. The reed is placed at the end of a narrow metal tube, next to a flat metal plate (missing in this example), against which the lips are pressed without pressure on the reed itself. This specimen is apparently pierced in four holes only, but this is due to its consisting of two separate pieces or joints, one of which was turned upon the other at the time of photographing, thus concealing the three other holes. Colombo Museum collection. Length 13 inches. [The nalava or flageolet is an instrument much less often seen; it consists entirely of ivory without metal fittings or reed].