138 JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. XIV. 



Ruins of the City. 

 Speaking generally of the ruins, Mr, H. Parker says : — 

 The only remains of this once royal city consist of a few upright 

 and prostrate stone pillars, the neighbourhood of which is strewn with 

 bricks, and are protected by a brick and earthen wall 40 ft. thick at 

 the base and 8 ft. high, of rhomboidal shape, 100 ft. long and 95 ft. 

 wide, with a fosse now 7 ft. wide.* 



President Marambe, who by excavation and exploration 

 has obtained invaluable details, particularizes the ruins 

 thus :— 



Within the walls of the city there is an enclosure of about eight 

 acres of land, surrounded by a low wall, the remains of which are still 

 to be seen. The enclosure is a perfect square, having moats or ditches 

 on all four sides, within and without. A group of thirty-two granite 

 pillars stand eight in a row, about a fathom apart from each other, and 

 forming a square. The pillars are almost imbedded in the ground, and 

 are at present four or five feet above the level of the ground, possibly 

 intended to support the roof of a building. 



A flight of rock steps leading to a temple, the sides of the 

 flight of steps being formed of balustrades of rock, with the 

 figure of a crocodile carved in a single block of granite on 

 each side ; the entrance door of the temple ; a portion of the 

 lintel and of the side — all which were unearthed under 

 direction of the President — are now remaining. 



There are a large number of mounds, probably marking 

 the sites of former buildings, here and there. 



Several enclosures, similar to the above but differing only 

 in extent, are also met with. In one of these are to be seen 

 traces of a foundation of a large building ; the ruins of two 

 large structures, with eleven granite pillars of one and 

 twelve of the other still standing ; also two dagobas in ruins, 

 showing unmistakable signs of their having been dug into ; 

 and remnants of carved stones, pillars, &c. 



In another of the enclosures was found a slab of stone 

 three feet square, containing 28 square holes, like a monster 

 draught-board. The lid of this slab of rock was discovered 

 in the dagoba near it, and it is said that the holes were 

 intended to contain jewellery, images, &c. 



* Report on Panda-vewa (Sessional Papers, 1881). 



