Keteriya

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The keteriya is a form of battle axe that was used in ancient Sri Lanka. [1] A keteriya would consist of a single edge and a short handle made of wood, traditionally resembling a hatchet with a straight shaft. This would allow the user to wield it with a single hand. Commonly used as a weapon and a tool, it is still common in rural villages. Legend has it that it was the preferred weapon of the famous warrior King Gajabahu the First; as such it is part of the cap badge of the Gajaba Regiment of the Sri Lanka Army.

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References

  1. Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Ceylon Branch, Colombo (1938). Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. Colombo Apothecaries Company. pp. 107–108.

See also