NO. 47.— 1896.] ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY, SIGIRIYA. 251 



attention to the main lines and features disclosed by this 

 year's excavations. 



Briefly, then, that part of the ancient citadel lying south of 

 the pond, and east of the high-level strip, was laid out in a 

 series of cross-terraces, east and west, varying in width — 

 adapted no doubt to the slope of the live rock below — and 

 falling away southwards. From the pokuna to the foot of 

 the last staircase (the longest yet uncovered) at the extreme 

 south are seven or eight distinct terraces. West, as already 

 stated, is higher ground, still hardly scratched by the spade ; 

 to the east may have been placed minor rooms ; whilst 

 the centre is taken up with an open courtyard and passages 

 leading up to the pond, and round it, on either side, by stairs 

 and intermediate landings — all admirably planned to suit the 

 physical conditions, and displaying marvellous ingenuity 

 in the turning to full account the limited space and surface 

 inequalities of the Rock's summit. 



The chief rooms we hope to uncover next year (1897) 

 on the higher level ; for they would naturally be built in 

 the most commanding position. 



Five and twenty flights of steps have been exposed this 

 year, and all (as pointed out of the stairs discovered in 1895) 

 of quartz or quartose limestone, except the single set cut 

 in the gneiss rock down the west slope of the pokuna * 



In digging on the south-east corner of the Rock a second 

 cistern was come upon. The very existence of this artificial 

 gal-wala had been unsuspected, as it lay buried beneath 

 a heavy bank of debris. The cistern is rectangular, measures 

 16 ft. by 10 ft., and is sunk into the live rock. Less deep 



* A good view of a series of these staircases, rising in line northwards and 

 hugging the revetment wall of the higher area, is given in photograph 

 C 603. 



The drawing (reproduced) shows well the plan, elevation, and section of 

 another flight of steps (see, too, photographs, C 596, 604). These possess the 

 Anuradhapura type of curling balustrades or "wings," helix -finished (to 

 which the hard, highly polished plaster still adheres), and a string-course 

 carried along the wall in the neat " nail-head " moulding greatly favoured 

 in these ruins. 



