457 



CHAP. V. 



WORKING IN METALS. 



METALS. Iron. Working in metals was early un- 

 derstood in Ceylon. Abundance of iron ore can be 

 extracted from the mountains round Adam's Peak ; the 

 black oxide is found on the eastern shore in the state 

 of iron-sand ; and both are smelted with comparative 

 ease by the natives. Iron tools were in use for the 

 dressing of stones ; and in the third century before 

 Christ, the enclosed city of Vijittapoora was secured by 

 an " iron gate." 1 



Steel. The manufacture of arms involved the use of 

 steel, the method of tempering which was derived from 

 the Hindus, by whom the wootz was prepared, of which 

 the genuine blades of Damascus are shown to have been 

 made, the beauty of their figuring being dependent on 

 its peculiar crystallisation. Ezekiel enumerates amongst 

 the Indian imports of Tyre " bright iron, calamus and 

 cassia." 2 



Copper. Copper was equally in demand, but, like 

 silver and gold, it is nowhere alluded to as a production 

 of the island. In ancient, as in modern times, therefore, 

 the numerous articles formed from this metal were pro- 

 bably imported from India. The renowned Brazen 

 Palace of Anarajapoora was so named from the quan- 

 tity of copper used in its construction. Bujas Eaja, 

 A. D. 359, covered a building at Attanagalla with " tiles 

 made of copper, and gilt with gold," 3 and " two boats 

 built of brass," were placed near the Bo-Tree at the 

 capital " to hold food for the priests." 4 Before the 



1 Mahawanso, ch. xxv. p. 152. 

 8 ROYLE an the Antiquity of Hindoo 

 Medicine,?. 98. EZEKIEL, ch. xxvii.19. 



Rajaratnacari. p. 73. 

 Ibid., p. 60. 



