CHAP. V.] WORKING IN METALS. 459 



by Strabo (1. xvi. c. 2. s. 24.), describes as making these 

 cups, and carrying across the sea for sale in the great 

 emporiums visited by these ships. 1 A variety of articles 

 of silver are spoken of at very early periods. Dutu- 

 gaimunu, when building the great dagoba, caused the 

 circle of its base to be described by " a pair of com- 

 passes made of silver, and pointed with gold ; " 2 parasols, 

 vases, caranduas and numerous other regal or religious 

 paraphernalia, were made from this precious material. 

 Gold was applied in every possible form and combination 

 to the decoration and furnishing of the edifices of Bud- 

 dhism ; " trees of gold with roots of coral," 3 flowers 

 formed of gems with stems of silver 4 , fringes of bullion 

 mixed with pearls ; umbrellas, shields, chains, and jew- 

 elled statuettes 5 , are described with enthusiasm by the 

 annalists of the national worship. 



The abundance of precious stones naturally led to their 

 being extensively mounted in jewelry, and in addition to 

 those found in Ceylon, diamonds 6 and lapis lazuli 7 (which 

 must have been brought thither from India and Persia) 

 are classed with the native sapphire and the topaz. 



The same passion existed then, as now, for covering 

 the person with ornaments ; gold and silver, set with gems 

 were fashioned into rings for the ears, nose, fingers, 

 and toes, into plates for the forehead, and chains for 

 the neck, into armlets, and bracelets, and anklets, and 

 into decorations of every possible form, not only for 

 the women, but for men, and, above all, for the children 

 of both sexes. The poor, unable to indulge in the 

 luxury of precious metals, found substitutes in shells 

 and glass ; and the extravagance of the taste was de- 

 fended on the ground that their brilliancy served to 



Mahawanso, ch. xxii. p. 153. j from the Mediterranean, is found in 

 small fragments on the sea-shore 

 north of Point-de-Galle. 



Mahawanso, ch. xxx. p. 179. 



civizf S' ot.'yov otitdetf 



2Tr<r*v ' A/ywvsoV,, AC. Iliad, xxiii. 745. 



2 Mahawanso, ch. xxx. p. 172. 



3 Red coral, equal in its delicacy 

 of tint to the highly-prized specimens 



5 Mahawanso, tb. p. 180. 



6 Rajaratnacari, p. 61. 



7 Mahawanso, ch. xxx. p. 182. 



