Cu.vr. IV.] MANUFACTURES. 453 



duce tlio knowledge and practice of handicrafts amongst 

 the native population. According to the story, these 

 were goldsmiths, blacksmiths, brass-founders, carpenters, 

 and stone-cutters.^ 



The legend is given wdth more particularity in an 

 historical notice of the Chaha caste, "written by Adrian 

 Eajapaxa, one of their chiefs, who describes these 

 immigrants as Peskare Brahmans, who were at first 

 employed in weaving gold tissues for the queen, but 

 Avho afterwards abandoned that art for agriculture. 

 A fresh company were said to have been invited in t]ie 

 reign of Devenipiatissa, and Avere the progenitors of 

 " Saleas, at present called Clialias," wdio inhabit the 

 country between Galle and Colombo, and who, along 

 "vvith their ostensible occupation as peelers of cinna- 

 mon, still employ themselves in the labours of the 

 loom.^ All handicrafts are conventionally regarded by 

 the Singhalese as the occupations of an inferior class ; 

 and a man of high caste woidd submit to any privation 

 rather than stoop to an occupation dependent on manual 

 skill. 



Pottery. — One of the most ancient arts, the making 

 of earthenware vessels, exists at the present day in all 

 its pristine simplicity, and the "potter's wheel," which 

 is kept in motion by an attendant, whilst the hands of 

 the master are engaged in shaping the clay as it revolves, 

 is the primitive device which served a similar purpose 

 amongst the Egyptians and Hebrews.^ 



A " potter" is enumerated in the list of servants and 

 tradesmen attached to the temple on the Eock of ]\iihin- 

 tala, A.D. 262, along with a sandal-maker, blacksmiths, 

 carpenters, stone-cutters, goldsmiths, and " makers of 



1 Valenttw, 0ml en Kiexo Oost- 

 Inclien, chap. iv. p. 267. 



^ A History of the Ch alias, by 

 Adman Rajapaxa. Asiatic Res. 



3fahawanso, B.C. 101, ch. xxix. p, 

 173 : the iillusion is to " new earthen 

 vases," aucl shows that the people at 

 that time, like the Iliudus of to- 



vol. vii. p. 440. lb., vol. x. p. 82. day, avoided where possible the re- 



3 Pottery is mentioned in the | peated use of the same vessel. 



G G 3 



