450 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [Vol. IX. 



palatine plate of the os palatinum, on the other hand, shows a 

 certain similarity to theirs. 



The Moors, or Moormen. 



According to the information which I have already given 

 Arabian colonies were at a very early period established 

 in Ceylon for commercial purposes. Even at the present 

 day a large part of the smaller traffic is in the hands of 

 these people, who are still engaged in maritime intercourse with 

 the Continent. Sir Emerson Tennent* deduces from this the 

 appellation " MarakJcala-minisu" or " Mariners." There are, 

 however, " Moorish " viilages and settlements also upon the 

 Island. About Batticaloa especially, they seem to have intro- 

 duced, or at least to have here brought to greater perfection, 

 the culture of the palm, in the same way as in the south of 

 Spain.f But in spite of this their number is small, and their 

 effect upon the rest of the population even less highly to be 

 estimated, because of their religion, which necessitates a 

 sharply-defined separation, so that they rarely intermarry with 

 the Sinhalese or other natives.^ I would not, however, omit 

 them, since in a very characteristic way they occupy a distinct 

 place under the caste organisation. As mentioned they are 

 " attached " to the Kshudraivansa, and among them to the 

 Fisher caste (Karawe). 



Unfortunately we have scarcely any descriptions of their 

 physical peculiarities. Wolf,§ who certainly seems to include 

 all sorts of people under the name of " Black Turks," says 

 the Moors are black, but have strong limbs, thick calves, and 

 shorn heads. Thunberg || describes them as large of stature, 

 darker than the rest of the islanders, and well clothed. Prid- 

 hamlf declares them to be the handsomest race in the Island, 

 after the European, of martial appearance, and almost with- 

 out exception tall and well formed. Davy says, " In dress, 



* Tennent, I., p. 632. f Id., II., pp. 456-58. 



j Pridham, I., p. 479. § Wolf, a. a. 0., I, S. 169. 



|l Thunberg, vol. IV., p. 188, quoted by Philalethes, I. c, p. 244. 

 f Pridham, I. c, I., p. 479. 



