Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c7.76

c7.76

“About their Wasts they have one or two Silver girdles made with Wire and Silver Plate handsomly engraven, hanging down on each side, one crossing the other behind. And as they walk they chew Betel. But notwithstanding all their bravery neither man nor woman wears shoos or stockings, that being a Royal dress, and only for the King himself.” The women’s costume at the present day, in the low-country consists of a loose, low-cut bodice, and a cloth round the lower part of the body, and is said to be of Malay origin, like the tortoise-shell combs worn by low-country men.