No. 23.— -1881.] SCULPTURES AT HORANA. 



9 



SCULPTURES AT HORANA. 



By James G. Smither, F.R.LB.A. 



(Read April 7th, 1881,; 



Having recently had occasion to visit Horana, a place distant 

 about twelve miles inland from Panadure, I took the opportunity 

 of inspecting some sculptured stones, which, with a few 

 mouldings and some other fragments of an ancient building, lie 

 half concealed by high grass and weeds behind the Govern- 

 ment rest-house. There is nothing remarkable about the 

 mouldings, but the sculptures are, I think, of sufficient interest 

 to warrant my forwarding to the Society the following short 

 description of them. 



The sculptured stones form the vertical face of the stylobate 

 or raised platform, on which, doubtless, formerly stood a 

 structure, of which all vestiges have entirely disappeared. 



The platform (only 35 feet square) was originally about three 

 feet high above the paved open court round about it, and was 

 approached by a single flight of steps at the end towards the 

 east. The court or enclosure measures 58 feet from north to 

 south, and 56 feet from east to west. It was surrounded by a 

 stone wall, now broken down, and was entered at the east end 

 opposite the above mentioned flight of steps leading up to the 

 platform. The wall of the stylobate consisted of a moulded 

 base, a sculptured die 14 inches high, and a moulded cornice, 

 the latter nowhere now in position. Most of the stones forming 

 the die have been removed quite away from the spot, but the 

 sculptures upon the few which remain differ entirely from any 

 in the same position which have hitherto come under my notice, 

 and are particularly interesting. 



