iI is indeed “an ornate box, a work of art with exquisite artistic details” apparently of Sri Lankan origin.
It would appear to be a faux ebony and porcupine quill six-sided box. A number of these boxes were made prior to 1972 when the British colonial name Ceylon was changed to the older name Sri Lanka. But “Ceylon” which was an adaptation of the Dutch name for the island had been so called since the 17th century and this box does not predate that. So logically it must have been made after 1972.
This being a silver forum, you have yet to tell us what the boxes connection with silver is?
Sri Lanka is globally renowned for its high-quality gemstones, such as sapphires, which are mined in a well-established industry but, apart from Ridi Vihara, I don’t know of any native silver mining or manufacture other than sometimes as a support metal for the precious stones.
CRWW
يبدو أنه صندوق سداسي الأضلاع مصنوع من خشب الأبنوس الصناعي وريشة القنفذ. صُنع عدد من هذه الصناديق قبل عام ١٩٧٢، عندما تم تغيير اسم “سيلان” الاستعماري البريطاني إلى الاسم القديم “سري لانكا”. لكن “سيلان”، وهو اسم مُقتبس من الاسم الهولندي للجزيرة، سُمي بهذا الاسم منذ القرن السابع عشر، وهذا الصندوق ليس أقدم من ذلك. لذا، منطقيًا، لا بد أنه صُنع بعد عام ١٩٧٢.
بما أن هذا منتدى للفضة، فلم تخبرنا بعد ما علاقة الصناديق بالفضة؟
تشتهر سريلانكا عالميًا بأحجارها الكريمة عالية الجودة، مثل الياقوت، التي تُستخرج في صناعة راسخة، ولكن باستثناء ريدي فيهارا، لا أعرف أي تعدين أو تصنيع محلي للفضة سوى استخدامها أحيانًا كمعدن داعم للأحجار الكريمة.
I don’t mean to in anyway diminish the box that has been drawn to our attention but, leaving aside its need for repair and replenishment of lost material including quills, is is clearly painted soft-wood rather than ebony which is likely the basic structure of the 19th century examples you provide.
The porcupine, which gives its quills and its life for each of these boxes, was listed as an endangered species and afforded a degree of protection in Sri Lanka until 2022 when the government, caving to farmer allegations of crop damage, opened up the capture and slaughter to hunters seeking the quills.
There is, of course only one effective antidote to practices likely to deprive our world of species and that is to control or eliminate the commercial demand for body parts.
CRWW
1 Like
The effective antidote (and the only one) to stop the destruction of the Earth and nature is to eliminate the human species as the greatest predator that has ever walked the earth… We are the greatest threat to ourselves and the environment in general.
Of course. That’s the consequence of free will. But hopefully we can save the porcupine with a less “baby being thrown out with the bath water” solution.
CRWW
I recommend reading it. I know religion doesn’t like questions… That’s what fear is based on… For me, being a good and noble person is enough. Temples and disgusting splendor—I despise them. God loves modesty… He rewards the humble.
I must confess I have never presumed to know what anybody’s god wants or might respect.
I suppose the first step, was I inclined to inquire, would be to assure myself of their existence in the first place.
Your reader recommendation puts its thumb on one rather thorny matter this inquiry would encounter: dualism.
I think for the moment I will stick to reading about the arts and crafts where something precious occasionally gets created by the hand of man — possibly a counter to your view we should facilitate the extinction of homo sapiens as a necessary precursor to planetary security.
CRWW