No. 27.™ 1884.] tissamaharAma archeology. 



23 



REPORT. 



Mode of Discovery. 



In digging out the site of a new sluice beyond the eastern 

 end of the embankment of the Tissa tank, and in cutting a 

 low-level channel from it to the paddy field, a thick layer of 

 broken pottery and tiles was passed through at a depth, 

 in its lowest part, of 18 feet below the surface of the ground. 

 As these were all in fragments, commonly very small, and 

 there was apparently nothing which could afford a clue to 

 their age, but little attention was paid to them, until it was 

 noticed that the shape of several fragments was such that 

 they could not have belonged to the pottery usually made 

 in Ceylon at the present day. The outcome of a more care- 

 ful examination of many of these fragments was the 

 discovery of one piece on which was scratched the letter ti, 

 in an angular character similar to those of the earliest 

 inscriptions in Ceylon, such as that at Tonigala (Ancient 

 Inscriptions, No. 1). After this, a vigorous search was made 

 among the debris removed from the lowest layers, and a 

 watch was kept on everything excavated, both in the low- 

 level channel, and also in a channel subsequently cut at a 

 higher level. The results have been far more important 

 and extensive than could be anticipated, and have brought 

 to light much of interest respecting the social condition and 

 life of the labouring classes, and, to some extent, regarding 

 the commerce and state of education during a very early 

 period of the history of Ceylon. Ample proof has also been 

 obtained that there was once a potter's establishment at the 

 site of the excavations. 



Probable Age of the Remains. 



It is obviously of great importance to ascertain the age 

 of these remains with the utmost attainable accuracy. 

 The date may be arrived at by two independent methods, 

 which give results that agree as closely as can be expected 

 at this distance of time. 



In the first place, there is a series of letters scratched or 

 engraved on several pieces of pottery. A considerable part 



