ClIAF. VII.] 



THE FIXE ARTS. 



483 



with hundreds of stone columns, and outer halls of an 

 oval shape, with large and small gates, staircases, and 

 glittering walls." * 



In what now remains of these buildings at Anaraja- 

 poora, there is no trace to be found of an arch, truly 

 turned and secured by its keystone ; but at Pollanarrua 

 there are several examples of the false arch, produced 

 by the progressive projection of the layers of brick. 2 



The finest specimens of ancient brickwork are to be 

 seen amongst the ruins of the latter city, where the ma- 

 terial is compact and smooth, and the edges sharp and 

 unworn. The mortar shows the remains of the pearl 

 oyster-shells from which it was burnt, and the chunam 

 with which the walls were coated still clings to some of 

 the towers, and retains its angularity and polish. 3 



Of the details of external and internal decoration 

 applied to these buildings, descriptions are given which 

 attest a perception of taste, however distorted by the 

 exaggerations of oriental design. " Gilded tiles " 4 in 

 their bright and sunny atmosphere, must have had a 

 striking effect, especially when surmounting walls de- 

 corated with beaded mouldings, and festooned with 

 " carvings in imitation of creeping plants and flowers." 5 



Carving in stone. Carving appears to have been 

 practised at a very early period with singular success ; 

 but in later times it became so deteriorated, that there 

 is little difficulty at the present day, in pronouncing on 

 the superiority of the specimens' remaining at Anaraja- 

 poora, over those which are to be found amongst the 

 ruins of the later capitals, Pollanarrua, Yapahu, or 

 Kornegalle. The author of the Mahawanso dwells 



1 Mahawanso, ch. Ixxii. UPHAM'S 

 version, p. 274. 



2 FORBES' s Eleven Years in Ceylon, 

 vol. i. ch. xvii. p. 414. 



3 Expressions in the Mahawanso, 

 ch. xxvii. p. 1(34, show that as early 



as the 2nd century, B.C., the Singha- 

 lese were acquainted with this beau- 

 tiful cement, which is susceptible of 

 a polish almost equal to marble. 



* Rajavali, p. 73. 



5 Mahawanso, ch. Ixxii. p. 274, 



i 2 



