446 



SCIENCES AND SOCIAL ARTS. 



[PART IV. 



princes of Hindustan and the Dekkan were always of 

 this precious but primitive character, the articles re- 

 ceived in return were less remarkable for the intrinsic 

 value of the material, than for the workmanship bestowed 

 upon them. Thus Devenipiatissa sent by his ambassa- 

 dors to Asoka, B. c. 306, " the eight varieties of pearls, 

 viz., hay a (the horse), gaja (the elephant), ratha (the 

 chariot wheel), maalaka (the nelli fruit), valaya (the 

 bracelet), anguliwelahka (the ring), kakudapliala (the 

 kabook fruit), and pakatika, the ordinary description. 

 He sent sapphires, lapis lazuli *, and rubies, a right hand 

 chank 2 , and three bamboos for chariot poles, remarkable 

 because their natural marking resembled the carvings of 

 flowers and animals. On the other hand the gifts sent by 

 the king of Magadha, indicate the advanced state of the 

 arts in Bengal, even at that early period : they con- 

 sisted of "a chowrie (the royal fly flapper), a diadem, 

 a sword of state, a royal parasol, golden slippers, a 

 crown, an anointing vase, asbestos towels, to be cleansed 

 by being passed through the fire, a costly howdah, and 

 sundry vessels of gold." Along with these was sacred 

 water from the Anotatto lake and from the Ganges, 

 aromatic and medicinal drugs, hill paddi and sandal- 

 wood ; and amongst the other items " a virgin of royal 

 birth and of great personal beauty." 3 



Early Imports. Down to a very late period, gems, 

 pearls, and chank shells continued to be the only 

 products taken away from Ceylon, and cinnamon is 

 nowhere mentioned in the Sacred Books as amongst 

 the exports of the island. 4 In return for these exports, 



1 Lapis lazuli is not found in Cey- 

 lon, and must have been brought by 

 the caravans from Budakshan. It is 

 more than once mentioned in the 

 MahawansOj ch. xi. p. 09 : ch. xxx. p. 

 185. 



2 A variety of the TurHndla rapa 

 with the whorls reversed, to which 



the natives attach a superstitious 

 value ; professing that a shell so 

 formed is worth its weight in gold. 



3 Mahawanso, ch. xi. pp. G9, 70. 



4 For an account of the earliest 

 trade in cinnamon, see post, Part v. 

 ch. ii. on the Knowledge of Ceylon 

 possessed by the Arabians. 



