A love for cultural valuables

12 October 2015 06:30 pm - 0 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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P.H.D.H De Silva’s ‘Ancient and Traditional Boxes, Caskets and Chests in Sri Lankan Museums, Volume 1 written in alliance with Senerath Wickramasinghe, describes the vast collection of ancient boxes, caskets and chests under the protection of Sri Lanka National Museums. The literature describing the antiques, trigger a love for the cultural and historical valuables designed intricately by the hands of our ancient craftsmen.

The book details several of the thousand possessions Dr. De Silva examined over the course of three years. The first volume describes the boxes crafted during the period of 8th to 18th century. Among the described artefacts are various types of boxes made out of numerous materials such as wood, ivory, horn, tortoise-shell and various metals such as copper, brass, bronze, silver and few gold.

Ivory caskets, ivory cabinets and ivory boxes are also narrated with in the book. The author also goes on to explain several antiques found in foreign museums. Certain ivory Caskets have been sent as royal gifts and others have been sent as export items to other countries and the author has taken a great deal of effort , to obtain information from the foreign museums of America and Europe.

" Among the described artefacts are various types of boxes made out of numerous materials such as wood, ivory, horn, tortoise-shell and various metals such as copper, brass, bronze, silver and few of gold. "

"This singular effort of Dr. De Silva to highlight these cultural and artistic objects and make them known to the Sri Lankan public and to the outside world through his memoirs is indeed most praiseworthy."

The book was written as an outcome of a scholarly exercise undertaken in the year 2008, and the specific study of Chunam (lime) boxes have been illustrated in another book as a second volume. Volume two on the same subject ‘Ancient And Traditional Boxes, Caskets And Chests In Sri Lankan Museums:KILLOTA or CHUNAM (LIME) BOXES’ by P.H.D.H De Silva discusses a collection of historic lime boxes. (a.k.a KILLOTA ) which originated as simple metal containers of lime and later transformed into ornamental containers. This follow up describes the many types of Chunam boxes most of them under the custody of Colombo National Museum and the Kandy National Museum.

The book begins with an introduction to Sri Lanka’s long history of betel eating habit. Describing the use of lime in betel chewing the book goes on to explain the evolution of Chunam boxes. The articles described in the book are of several different sizes and some shaped in various animal and fruit forms. The Kandyan Killota have been described in greater detail. The writing does not forget in mentioning the ladies’ killota of the low country which show some European influence.

Dr. De Silva, upon examining most of these artifacts presents detailed descriptions in both books along with high quality photographs. Both books awakens the reader’s inquisitiveness of the archaic and bring in them a sense of pride upon realizing the beauty of Sri Lankan art and culture.

Apart from Ivory Caskets and Cabinets now abroad this is the first time any scholar here or abroad has shown keen interest in these cultural and artistic objects. At the same time it must be stated that the majority of artifacts described here have not been exhibited to the public or seen by most scholars in this country.

Therefore, this singular effort of Dr. De Silva to highlight these cultural and artistic objects and make them known to the Sri Lankan public and to the outside world through his memoirs is indeed most praiseworthy.

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A love for cultural valuables

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