The New International Encyclopædia/Santals

SAN′TALS, or SON′THALS. A people of Dravidian stock in Western Bengal, Northern Orissa, and Bhagalpur. They are of low stature, and dolichocephalic, with dark skins, and wavy hair. Some of the Santals are good agriculturists; others, in the more remote parts of the country, are still practically in the hunting stage. Except the few who have been converted to Hinduism or to Christianity, the Santals are ‘nature-worshipers’ with a sun cult and a belief in evil spirits. Their native system of government is village patriarchism. Like the Dravidian Tamils, the Santals have furnished many temporary or permanent emigrants from Hindustan, who have settled in Farther India. The Santals are generally monogamous, although polygamy and polyandry are not at all unknown among them. A grammar of the Santal language has been published (Benares, 1873) by Skrefsrud, and a collection of “Traditions and Institutions of the Santhals,” written down from the dictation in Santali of Kolean Haram, an old Santal, appeared at Benagoria in 1887. Consult: Man, Sonthalia and the Sonthals (London, 1867); Dalton, Descriptive Ethnology of Bengal (Calcutta, 1872).