Kastane

The Kastane is a short, curved or straight, single-edged sword from Sri Lanka. Kastanes often have elaborate hilts, especially shaped as Makara heads. They depict the Makara emitting minor deities including small Makara forms and Nagas etc onto the Hand Guard, Cross Guard, and pseudo Varga style quillons .The Makara is famous for its peacock feather tail often seen spilling down the triangular rain guard and even onto the blade throat. Scabbards can also be elaborately decorated and with an odd turned up chape at the end occasionally showing emitted demons. They may be a derivative of medieval European cutlasses and sabers, used during the Portuguese occupation of Sri Lanka in the 16th and 17th centuries, appearing afterwards in the Kandyan kingdom.

The Kastane is used as a ceremonial weapon by general officers of the Sri Lanka Army to the present day.