142 SPOLIA ZEYLANICA. 



the top of the stylobate. Most of the platforms in the great Bud- 

 dhist dagobas in Cejdon have elephants in high relief or standing out 

 as if supporting the platform. The elephant plays an important 

 part in Indian and Ceylon history. The use of elephants in war 

 dates from early times. The Mahawansa mentions the king at 

 Anuradhapura in the fifth century possessing a white elephant — a 

 rare, lucky, and sacred thing to own. In India, in the earliest myths, 

 the elephant was said to take the place of thunder and lightning, 

 and is one of the steeds of Indra. The elephant in ancient Hindu 

 history is mentioned as supporting the four corners of the earth — 

 the elephant supports the world. The elephant's place at the base 

 is a post of honour, but he is sometimes shown with uplifted trunk 

 in sacrificial vases, of which a splendid old specimen in bronze is 

 shown in the Colombo Museum, being a loan exhibit belonging to 

 Mr. P. E. Pieris, M.A., CCS. 



There are many legends about the elephant in Ceylon, but in 

 Buddhism the elephant takes the place of the dove in the annuncia- 

 tion of Maya Devi (mother of Buddha) , of the coming of the Bodhisat. 

 She lies asleep, and the elephant appears to her as depicted in many 

 sculptures at Amravati and Southern India. Another legend is that 

 Devamitta, the envious schismatic, was sent to meet and murder 

 Buddha and took a frenzied elephant to do the work , but when the 

 creature beheld Buddha it stood still and worshipped. There is 

 a later story of an elephant's body being hurled an immense 

 distance by the Lord Buddha. 



* Mr. Lockwood Kipling observes that the elephant is the only 

 animal on the Buddhist sculptures " carved with true knowledge 

 and unvar3ring truth of action." 



It is conjectured that on the top of the elephant stylobate was 

 placed a shrine or canopy with an image of Buddha. 



GERARD A. JOSEPH. 



1 9 . Flints ,d2C., from a Cave at Urumutta . — Copy of letter received 

 by the Director, Colombo Museum, from Mr. Frederick Lewis of the 

 Land Settlement Office : — 



Sir, — I HAVE the honour to forward by hand the following : — 



(1) A parcel of stones that I venture to believe are arrowheads 



of a very ancient period. 



(2) Some fragments of potter3^ 



(3) Some bones, possibly of a " mouse deer." 



(4) A clay mould, that I take to be for the purpose of moulding 



coins. 



This last was given to me by my friend Mr. N. B. Faviell of the 

 Survey Department, who found it in the bed of the Menikganga. 



The " finds " 1, 2, and 3 come from a cave situated in the village 

 of Urumutta in the Gangaboda pattu of the Matara District, and it 



