No. 27. — 1884.] tissamaharama archeology. 45 



1. Marbles. These were made of both stone and 

 earthenware, and were about the same size as those of the 

 present day. Those made of stone, of which three have 

 been obtained, are well polished and spherical. They have 

 a segment cut off so as to leave a flat base on which they 

 might rest, while others forming complete spheres were 

 projected from the fore-finger to strike them. One which 

 is made of earthenware is quite superior in make to those 

 which children have in England. 



2. Many thin earthenware disks, of varying sizes, 

 have been unearthed. These were used in a well-known 

 game, now called wala-salli, u hole-money." In this game 

 a straight Hue about three feet long is drawn on the ground, 

 and opposite the middle of it, and a few inches beyond it, a 

 small cup-shaped hole is made. The players, two or more in 

 number, take their stand at a mark 10 or 12 feet away, and 

 each in turn pitches a disk at the hole. The player whose aim 

 is best now takes in his hand all the disks which have been 

 thrown, and tosses all of them together at the hole. Then, 

 with a larger and heavier disk, he must next, while standing 

 at the mark, hit one of the pieces which the other players 

 select for the purpose among those lying round the hole and 

 beyond the line. Should he do so, he again tosses all the 

 disks together at the hole, and those which fall in it become 

 his property. The next player then proceeds with the play 

 in a similar manner, making use of the disks which have not 

 been won by his predecessor. This is still a very common 

 and well-known gambling game ; it is now usually played 

 with money, as its modern name indicates. In ancient 

 times it must have been immensely popular, for these disks 

 have been found in all our cuttings, and some of them are 

 well worn. They have also been met with in the stratum 

 near the surface of the ground. The disks are usually a 

 little more than an inch in diameter, but some are much 

 larger. 



3. A rough representation of some quadruped moulded 

 in clay but not burnt, and considerably mutilated, was 

 evidently intended as a child's toy. 



4. An article of earthenware on four very short legs, 

 having a flat top decorated with diagonal and parallel lines, 

 may have been made as a child's toy couch. 



