No. 27. — 1884.] TISSAMAH ARAMA ARCHEOLOGY. 



81 



almost into a narrow basal platform. There is also a small square 

 plinth on the top of the dome, into which the cupola gradually 

 runs. The relic-cavity is bored to about half the depth of the 

 stone. The stopper is of a solid umbrella-shape, or, more 

 accurately, mushroom-shape, with the under side of the mush- 

 room convex like the top, instead of concave. It fits easily but 

 firmly into the cavity. Inside the cavity there were two small 

 flakes of thin gold, which presumably enveloped the relics ; but 

 no relics were found inside them. 



All these karanduwas must certainly have been turned on a 

 lathe. The grooves which run round them could not be cut truly 

 without its assistance. 



(5) Two small flat pieces of silver, which I omitted to 

 measure. One of these is nearly square in plan, and is compara- 

 tively thick. It resembles in shape the early Indian money found 

 at Eran, but it has no marks of any kind on it. The other piece 

 has about the same thickness, but it is more irregular in shape, 

 and of slightly larger size. It is possible that these may be an 

 early form of money introduced into the Island from India. Silver 

 is found in Ceylon rocks in very small quantity, and there is 

 nothing to show that it was ever extracted by the ancient Simha- 

 lese. It is said that similar-shaped punch-marked plaques of 

 copper were found at the Maharama, but were replaced in the 

 new relic chamber. 



(6) A beautifully-engraved, thin, elliptical disk of red car- 

 nelian, '78 inch broad, apparently forming the stone of a signet- 

 ring. The rapacity of the men who broke into the dagaba seems 

 to have led them to fracture this gem in two, in order to take 

 away the material (gold, doubtless) in which it was set, but the 

 best piece has been saved. Owing to the courtesy and generosity 

 of the committee who superintend the restoration of the Yatthala 

 and Msenik dagabas — and who, I may add, have afforded me 

 every facility for an examination of the articles found by them, 

 and have assisted me in collecting the rarer inscribed bricks — 

 this stone is now in my possession. 



It will be seen, from the impression sent to the Museum, that 

 on the face of the stone there is cut, in intaglio, a figure of a king 

 sitting on a chair-like throne. Excepting the left hand and leg, 

 the former of which is too large, and the latter too thin, the whole 

 figure is as well proportioned as most works of the present day. 

 The person is sitting upright on the throne, facing the right, in 

 a remarkably natural, free-and-easy position. His right foot 

 hangs down in the usual manner, but his left is set on the chair, 

 and the knee is sharply bent, in the position taken when a man 



28—85 f 



