6 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. X. 



of this kind of roof at present discovered in Anuradhapura. 

 The pillars are much longer and thinner in the shaft than 

 those described last, standing, on an average, twelve feet 

 out of the ground. The whole building is in the most 

 picturesque state of ruin conceivable. The long graceful 

 pillars slope in every direction ; the moulded granite base- 

 ment heaves and undulates as though from the shock of a 

 great earthquake ; the fine " moonstone," and every step of the 

 decorated staircase, is cracked right in half ; broken pillars, 

 portions of the flooring, fragments of the frieze, lie about in 

 wild confusion ; while the deep russet of the felled jungle, 

 and the brilliant background of dense foliage and fantastic 

 creepers, lend colour to the scene, and complete a striking 

 picture of gorgeous desolation. I have succeeded in unearth- 

 ing some portions of a frieze which must have surmounted 

 the moulding of the platform : lions and grotesque men in 

 very high relief figure on it in alternate panels, and it bears 

 a strong resemblance to the frieze that surrounds the Wata 

 Ddge at Polonnaruwa, but I do not know whether the resem- 

 blance may be taken as a fair criterion of the date of this 

 building. 



I would further mention two other discoveries made still 

 more recently. One is of a Vihdra and Ddgaba near the 

 Oal-ge on the Lankarama road. The Vihdra is remarkable 

 for its doorway, which is composed of two solid upright 

 slabs of granite, standing about 5 ft. apart, each measur- 

 ing about 8 ft. in height by 3 ft. 8 in. wide, and 5 in. 

 thick. The platform and the mouldings on its outer wall 

 are fairly perfect, and it has four annexes at its four corners, 

 the dvdrapdla, "moonstone," and steps of each annexe 

 being elaborately carved. The Ddgaba is at present a grass- 

 covered mound, but I hope to cut a trench through the 

 debris that covers it, and see what time and Tamils have left 

 of the original structure. 



To the north-west of the Kuttam Pokuna a square 

 Pokuna of similarly elaborate workmanship has been found. 

 The sides are lined with long smooth slabs of granite, 



