SINHALESE EARTHENWARE. 11 
clay tile between two wooden moulds. Itis obvious that equally high 
relief cannot be obtained in this way as there is no way of pressing 
the clay into the hollows of a deep mould. 
Rectangular tiles with lions or geese are used for the decoration of 
wall surfaces, and are then often painted to enhance their effect. 
Examples are to be seen at the Dalada Maligawa and at the Old 
Palace, Kandy. 
While speaking of roofs there must also be mentioned the hand- 
some finials, often decorated with cobras, which complete the effect 
ofa Kandyanroof. They are found on ambalams and on déwala and 
vihara roofs, where however the earthen finials are often replaced 
by more pretentious ones of gilt bronze. It should be remembered 
that in the old days only chiefs of the rank of a Disawa were allowed 
to build tiled houses; much less was it usual to make use of finials 
on domestic roofs.* A story is told of a chief of the Hinidum pattu 
who proceeded to Kandy especially to obtain permission to have a 
tiled roof, but never returned, having been found guilty of some 
unnamed offence, apparently presumption, and beheaded ! 
Bricks (gadol) also must be briefly mentioned though not very 
widely used except in the erection of digabas and for some other 
special purpose. It may be remarked that they are of the rather 
flat narrow form which is so much more satisfactory in appearance 
and makes a stronger wall than the bricks of more nearly equal 
dimensions which are now more generally used. 
Mr. F. H. Modder has described the earthen rings (%#rakof{ta) used 
for lining Kandyan wells called “ira lin. He says: ‘‘ These wells 
are very common in the Kandyan district. They are circular in 
shape, about three feet in diameter, and instead of being built up 
with stone, earthen rings made by the village potter, and each 
about a foot and a half broad, are inserted and fitted in from the 
bottom of the well, increasing from two feet in diameter as they 
come up to the top tothree feet. The earthen rings are called “rd- 
kotta, and the wells are known as tirdketa lin, abbreviated into ira 
lin. The tirdkotta help to keep the water cool, and if they could be 
made of larger dimensions so as to get into wells of all sizes, they 
would certainly be a useful and cheap substitute for stone. Each 
of the rings used at present can be made at a cost of about 375 
cents, and the cost of a well thus built would not exceed a couple 
of rupees.”’ f 
ot a eee RE ee ee a ee ee 
* Cf. Trans. R. A. S., London, vol. III., 1833, p. 488, footnote ; and 
Philalethes and Knox, p. 192. 
7 Journal, C. B., R. A. S., vol. XITI., No. 44, 1893, p. 38. 
