NOTES. 
185 
resembling a flame, and on that- account is called “ fire-blade.” 
It resembles a Malay kris, called in Ceylon, according to Mr. H. 
Parker (“ Ancient Ceylon,” London, 1909, p. 532), kricciya. He says 
“ it is rarely seen, and does not often appear in the wihara paintings ; 
but it is represented at the Dambulla wihara, where it is held as a 
dagger. The fact that a broken blade which appeared to belong to 
this weapon, with at least three bends, was discovered in the Tissa 
excavations, in the lowest pottery stratum, proves that it had been 
introduced into the Island in very early times.” The same form of 
blade sometimes occurs in spear-heads. Mr. Parker ( loc . cit.) adds 
that the itiya is the true Sinhalese form of a weapon of this type. 
•‘It is a narrow-bladed, short, stabbing spear or assegai, but it is 
also held like a sword. It is described as having a thin blade 
18 inches long, with bends resembling those of the kris, and two 
cutting edges. It is found in the Dewalas, and appears in the 
temple paintings among the arms carried by the demons in their 
contest with Buddha. In a large statue of Kali at Anuradliapura, 
this goddess grasps it like a sword, and holds it erect.” 
The Sinhalese kricciya or hunting-knife is again mentioned by 
Dr. C. G. Seligmann in a “ Note on the Bandar Cult of the Kandyan 
Sinhalese,” published in “Man,” vol. IX., No. 9, September, 1909, 
pp. 130-134. 
The symbolic use of a long-bladed knife in a devil dance is also 
described by Mrs. Brenda Z. Seligmann in an illustrated paper 
entitled “ A Devil Ceremony of the Peasant Sinhalese,” published in 
the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, vol. XXXVIII., 
1908, pp. 368-379. 
The iron handle of the dagger here figured shows remains of silver 
damascene-work (not drawn in the sketch); the blade is rather more 
than 8 inches long, and has seven bends. It was said to have 
been obtained in Kandy. The Sinhalese name is gini-dalu-kricciya. 
The two objects figured below the ivory shuttle are medical staffs, 
the lower one made of horn and mounted with silver, the upper one 
of horn and ivory.* They were formerly carried about by vedaralas 
or native doctors. Each of them is composed of a number of 
hollow sections fitting together, and each section is the receptacle 
for a specific drug. Their length is that of an ordinary walking 
stick. 
Colombo, March 31, 1910. A. WILLEY. 
9. Chank and other Objects from the Maha Devale , Kandy. —The 
accompanying illustration shows an ivory case and gold sannasa, a 
gold-mounted chank, and a gold-mounted cup belonging to the Maha 
* This has been deposited in the Museum on loan by Mr. de Lanerolle. 
through Mr. P. E. Pieris, C.C.S. 
2 P 
6 ( 8)10 
