474 Captain Caapman on the City of Anar(japura 
A considerable number, exceeding one hundred, still remain standing, some 
partially broken, others without capitals.* Among those which had fallen, 
one was fortunately perfect, and thus enabled me to take its dimensions 
with accuracy. The column or shaft is of a single piece of hard blue 
granite, and is twenty-three feet six inches inlength. The first nine feet from 
the base are square, having one foot on each side ; the edges of the remaining 
fourteen feet six inches are then cut off in such a manner as to form an 
octagon, having four sides each about eight inches in width, and the other four 
between two and three. The shaft is surmounted by a capital, which is two 
feet six inches in height, is octagonal, and slopes gradually outwards, so as to 
extend considerably beyond the shaft. The capital is divided into portions, 
on one of which grotesque human figures are sculptured, and terminates in 
a slope to the top, which is surmounted by a knob: thus shewing that these 
pillars were intended solely for ornament, and not to bear any weight.t I 
made an outline of one of them, which will give some idea of their elegance 
and peculiarity of form.t 
The tradition relating to these pillars is, that they were brought by 
giants from a distance to the eastward; and I subsequently met with some of 
inferior workmanship, which were lying on the ground neglected, and were 
said to have been thrown away by the giants, on hearing that the temple 
for which they were destined was completed.§ 
Of the four dagobas which constitute the second class, I have selected that 
* According to a calculation which I made, there were originally in the inner circle about 
forty-four; in the central one, fifty-five; and in the largest, sixty-six; or, altogether, about a 
hundred and sixty-six of these pillars, of which a hundred and forty are still standing. 
+ The capitals varied considerably ; some were narrower, and the ornament different. 
{ See Plate, No. 17. 
§ It is remarked by Knox, and was admitted by those of whom I made inquiry, that the 
natives of Ceylon were formerly, and are at present, utterly incapable of executing such work 
as these sculptures in granite. I was informed that the Hindus are employed whenever such 
work is required; and was shewn an enclosure of granite in progress destined for a Bo-tree, 
which was extremely well cut into bold and simple mouldings, and on which some Hindis had 
been recently employed. I found, subsequently, at Ramiseram and elsewhere, that the art is 
not lost, and that pillars of granite curiously cut are still occasionally made, are very costly, 
and are estimated, as donations or offerings, in proportion to the expense of time and labour 
bestowed upon them. I met with some curious instances both in Ramiseram and Madura, 
where several human figures of considerable size, as well as horses, formed parts of the pedestals 
of columns recently erected, 
