NO. 47. — 1896.] ANCIENT CITIES AND TEMPLES. 



149 



In the niche B, on the north-west side of the chamber, were found 

 two sedent figures of Buddha of beaten gold, one 3f in. high and the 

 other 4| in. high, the interior filled with what appears to have been a 

 composition of wax and clay. The larger of these two figures was 

 found seated on a silver pedestal 5 in. wide, 4| in. deep, 2f in. high. 

 The die of the pedestal was ornamented with moulded pilasters, and 

 the base and cornice enriched with lotus leaves. The figures are 

 seated in the usual attitude, with the soles of the feet upturned and 

 the hands clasped and resting on the lap, palms upwards. The ears 

 are pendent, and each figure has the usual protuberance on the crown 

 of the head surrounded by a gold flame-shaped emblem adorned with 

 precious stones ; each wears the curled wig and priestly robe. 



In the niche C, on the north-east side, were two figures of Buddha 

 as before, but 5 in. and 2^ in. high respectively. 



In the niche D, on the south-east side, a Buddha 4 in. high, similar 

 to those above described, and another 4 in. high, including a base 

 •f in. high ornamented with lotus leaves. The latter is of superior 

 workmanship to the companion figure, the features are more refined, 

 and the curls of the wig are smaller than in any of the other 

 examples. 



In the niche A, on the south-west side, were two Buddhas as first 

 described measuring 4-| in. and 2^- in. high respectively. The upturned 

 soles of the feet have in each case been painted. 



The following elaborate notes and comments on the find, 

 made by Mr. Parker, in reply to the reference to him by 

 Mr. Saunders, are interesting, in that he refutes the identity 

 of the site with that of the ancient city of Panduwas 

 Nuwara : — 



I received your letter when at Nikaweratiya, and as I am not very 

 busy here (Maha Usvewa) this week, I went over to Hettipola 

 yesterday (February 7, 1877), and examined the two open dagobas. 

 The first one I arrived at— the smaller one — is undoubtedly of 

 comparatively modern date, as the enclosed copy of as much of the 

 inscription on one of the pillars as I could decipher conclusively shows. 

 With the exception of one, the shape of the letters is identical with 

 that of the present day, and I believe Dr. Goldschmidt will say the date 

 is not earlier than the sixth or seventh century a.d. The inscription 

 Cotterill copied at Galgamuwa is one of the very old ones which Dr. 

 Goldschmidt says date from the third century B.C., and the shapes of 

 the letters are in all instances quite different from these. 



Then, another thing which may be taken to partly prove its erection 

 at a later date than the Anuradhapura dagobas, is that the bricks, at any 

 rate for some distance — as far as the excavation has gone — round the 

 chamber or chambers are set in chunam. I do not think chunam was 



25—96 P 



