NOTES. 289 



NOTES. 



24. Note on a Cup-marked Rock found at Kudagama, in the Kende 

 Korale, North-Central Province. — While inspecting the village of 

 Kudagama during August of this year, I noticed a large mass of 

 slab rock situated in the close vicinity of a tank. Below the tank 

 bund was an abandoned "gangoda," where scattered about were 

 the fragments of stone door frames. On the inner side of the tank 

 bund was a well-carved thi-ee-headed cobra stone in a good state of 

 preservation. 



The carving was bold in outline, as well as graceful in pattern, 

 the folds and convolutions being specially well cut. 



On examining the slab first mentioned, I found that a large frag- 

 ment had been wedged out, evidently for the purpose of supplying 

 pillars. The wedge marks are quite distinct, and arranged along the 

 Ime of natural fracture. A little to the north-west of this Une of 

 wedge marks I noticed what appeared to be a circular hollow in the 

 stone, filled with dirty water. I next explored the rock and found 

 another sUght depression, also full of water, which on being swept 

 out disclosed a cup-shajaed hole , while another had been comj)letely 

 spHt across in the removal of the stone by wedging. A little further 

 examination of the rock showed altogether twentj^-one of these 

 cup-hke drill holes, the sizes of which ranged from 2 inches to 

 10 inches in depth by 5 inches to 6^ inches in width from "lip" 

 to " lip." The rough sketch attached is copied from an eye-survey 

 of the rock itself, from which it will be observed that there is no 

 particular order as to the distribution of the cup holes, except that 

 holes 13, 14, and 1.5 form a row nearly at right angles to the row 15, 

 16, and 17, but as the distances are so close — generally less than 

 18 inches — it is difficult to suppose that these holes were drilled for 

 the purpose of letting in posts for a building, as the rest of the marks 

 are quite without any order of arrangement, but they all agreed in 

 sectional outhne, though variable in depth. 



The holes themselves are invariably circular in shape a few inches 

 below the 'lip," and concave at the bottom. The}^ could be 

 produced by spinning on its axis a stone of torpedo shape, this 

 serving as a drill, the motion being imparted b}'^ a rubbmg action of 

 the hands, just as one might spin a ruler while keeping it erect 

 at the same time. The "drill " stone was doubtless aided in its 

 action by the addition of watei', and possibly percussion at the 

 start. 



The question now arises as to the object or purpose of those cups 

 as it appears impossible to beheve that thev were of use for building 



