No. 44.— 1893.] 



YAPAHUWA. 



109 



Mr. Bailey found the whole of the superstructure on one 

 side of the doorway had disappeared, but two of the walls of 

 the vestibule on the left hand as you enter the doorway were 

 saved ; but the displacement of the stones foretold that the 

 fate which attended the corresponding wing on the right, 

 which had quite fallen away, would overtake it. 



The doorway opens upon the terrace, the palace having 

 been built upon the sloping ground, at the base of the wall 

 of rock, which rises many hundred feet above the surround- 

 ing plain ; the foundations were consequently of the most 

 substantial description, and the masonry raised upon them 

 very massive. Mr. Bailey says : — 



But nothing can exceed the regularity of the courses of cut stone 

 and the perfect fitting and binding of each block. Both the terraces 

 which project in advance of "the main building and the main building 

 itself are ornamented with carved stone moulding, below which are 

 groups of figures in bold relief, resting on a lower moulding, designed 

 to represent the upturned leaves of the lotus. The figures are 

 excellent, and in great variety of attitude. They represent natch 

 girls, not oppressed with clothing, who are dancing with great spirit 

 to the energetic music of tom-tom beaters and flageolet players, whose 

 whole souls are in their work. The intense gravity of their faces is 

 admirable ; while the whole scene is so well " told " that you can 

 almost fancy you can see their heads nodding in time to their music, 

 and hear the castanets in the girls' hands. The overhanging mould- 

 ing has protected these figures from the weather, and the details are 

 perfect. The ornaments of the female figures and the expression of 

 their faces are as though the sculptor had but just completed his 

 work.* 



Commenting on the ruins of the palace, Mr. Bailey writes — 



It is probable that the building was never completed ; and this its brief 

 occupation as the seat of government renders more than likely. For 

 it is impossible to conceive that masonry so substantial and sculpture 

 so elaborate would have been lavished on a building which was intended 

 to be of such modest extent. The existing ruins appear to have been 

 those only of the entrance hall of some magnificent palace which it 

 was designed to complete. For the remains are indeed those of a 

 building too small even for convenient residence, though sufficiently 

 large to have served for the state entrance to a noble palace, which, if 

 completed in the same style, would have far eclipsed in magnificence 

 anything which is to be found at Pollannarua or Anuradhapoora.f 



* Once a Week, I. c, p. 281. 



t Once a Week, I. c, p. 227. 



