52 



journal, r.a.s. (ceylon). [Vol. VIII. 



tail. Above the elephant, to the left, is what I take to be 

 a representation of the sacred bo branch, growing out of a 

 rectangular frame, or surrounded by a fence which has bars 

 crossing from the middle of each side. On each of the 

 upper corners of this frame is a dot or bead, which may be 

 intended to represent a fruit, with two leaflets springing 

 from it. (The eight minor bo trees each bore two fruits, 

 Mak., p. 120.) The tree consists of a substantial upright 

 stem, from the sides of which diverge two lateral alternate 

 branches (instead of five, as stated at Mak., p. 113). The 

 stem and branches each bear three leaves at their extremi- 

 ties—one being at the end, and opposite ones at each side.* 



To the right of this branch, at the top of the design, 

 under the rim, is the symbol which I have already described 

 on coin No. 1, Between this and the branch are three 

 circular dots, while another dot is found at its right lower 

 corner near the rim. Between the "Svastika" symbol and 

 the elephant's back, there are two peculiar symbols —that 

 on the left much like a sextant, an isosceles triangle lying 

 on its side, with a vertical cross-bar at the apex, which is 

 towards the left ; that on the right like a double eye-glass 

 more than anything else, resting on a line which cuts off 

 the bottoms of the two circles. 



Reverse.— The design is surrounded by a single flat rim. 

 About three-quarters of this design, also, can alone be 

 clearly seen. The design has evidently been improved by 

 cutting out a shallow trench round the outlines. An 

 imaginary horizontal diameter will divide the symbols on 

 this face into two groups — three above it, and one below it. 



In the middle of the upper half is a very clear represen- 

 tation of the peculiar " Svastika" symbol found on the 

 other old coins, in broad high relief, at the right upper 

 corner of which are three circular dots. The design at the 

 left is very indistinct, but three similar dots were probably 

 symmetrically arranged there also, under which was a 

 symbol that I have failed to distinguish. To the right of 

 the symbol first described, below the three dots, and 



* Compare Report on Archceological Survey of India, Vol. X., p. 79, 

 and plate XXIV., where very ancient punch-marked and die-struck 

 coins are described and figured, having a facsimile of this bd tree on 

 them, the seedlings alone being perhaps absent. 



