A 16th–17th C. Tamil-inscribed right-spiraled conch at Colombo National Museum, decorated with bronze and Hindu motifs, donated to God Palani.
Tamil Conch (instrument), Colombo National Museum A Unique Conch with an inscription in Tamil is exhibited in the National Museum of Colombo , Sri Lanka. The conch is noticeable among the other objects in the museum, as it is in the official logo of the Department of National Museums. The conch is a Valampuri-type one that has right-winding spirals. This type of conches is rarely found by sea divers in the fishery. Locals believe that these conches possess auspicious qualities and because of that reason, they are widely used in Hindu and Buddhist temples and in certain rituals and ceremonies (Pathmanathan, 2005). The Artefact The conch has been designed as a composite monument. Some bronze pieces have been attached to both the front and rear sides of the conch. As a whole, the conch has the appearance of a swan (Pathmanathan, 2005). The conch with its other composites is 30 cm in length and 13 cm in height (Pathmanathan, 2005). The spirals of the conch are covered with a bronze coating and texts of the inscription have been engraved on it…