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JOURNAL R. A. s. (ceylon). [Vol. VII., Pt. III. 



RUINS AT VEHERAGALA.* 



The ruins in question are known as " Veheragala" and 

 are situated about two miles South of the 10th mile-post on the 

 Anuradhapura road. 



They consist for the most part of groups of stone pillars 

 more or less roughly squared, and are probably the remains of 

 palaces and Vihdres. The jungle is, however, so thick, and the 

 ruins are so overgrown, that it is difficult to conjecture, from 

 their formation, to what period they belong. 



The only really interesting ruin which has so far been dis- 

 covered, is that of an oval building, found upon a rocky mound, 

 and the base of which is constructed of huge slabs of stone, 

 (the shape of which is very peculiar) laid upon oblong blocks. 

 They are cut into segments of a circle, each segment being 

 8 ft. to 12 ft. by 7 ft. X 7 in. or 8 in. thick. These slabs are 

 also concave on the upper side and convex on the lower, but 

 whether this was intentional, or the result of being wedged out 

 of laminated rock — with which the neighbourhood abounds, — is 

 not apparent. Another curious feature of the building is, that 

 the oblong blocks upon which these slabs are laid, (and which 

 seem to have formed the foundations) built upon the solid rock 

 were morticed together, the sockets and notches being very 

 distinct. The building faces North, on which side there is a 

 flight of stone steps leading to the entrance, and its dimensions 

 are, from North to South 56 feet, and from East to West 78 feet. 



If this structure was intended for a Tope or Ddgaba — which, 

 considering that it was not circular, is, I think, unlikely — it was 

 never completed, and appears to have been temporarily used for 

 some other purpose ; for at the South end there are five spur 

 stones, arranged in a curve, and upon which pillars must have 



* Extract from letter dated September 25th, 1882, from P. A. Templer. 

 Esq., C.C.S., Assistant Government Agent, Puttalam, to the Government Agent, 

 North- Western Province, — Hon t Sec'- 



