No. 45.— 1894.] 



PROCEEDINGS. 



121 



In Anuradhapura, with a labour force averaging 100 hands (men, 

 women, and boys), a good deal of fresh excavation was carried out. 



North of the town three miles, work on the large dagaba, known 

 as Kiribat Vehara, was brought to completion. In addition to the 

 quadrant of the outermost circumference (lowest pesava) of the dagaba 

 laid bare by trenching in 1892, the whole of the inner and a portion of 

 the exterior wall of the quadrangle surrounding the dagaba has been 

 traced. The steps and approach on the north, east, and south sides 

 have been opened out, and a shaft, 14 ft. in diameter, sunk down the 

 centre of the dagaba, reaching virgin soil at a depth of some 40 ft. 

 from the present summit of the mound. No relic chamber was 

 discovered, the dagaba (as was anticipated) having been doubtless 

 gutted centuries ago by invaders from Southern India. Much interest- 

 ing light has, nevertheless, been gained as to the construction of the 

 large dagabas of Anuradhapura, among which should in future be classed 

 Kiribat Vehera. The survey shows it to have been approximately 

 420 ft. in circumference, or somewhat smaller than Miriswetiya 

 Dagaba. 



The scattered ruins lying in the jungle between Jetawanarama 

 and the Vijayarama Monastery have proved, under excavation, to be 

 a coterie of Hindu shrines and appurtenant buildings. In two Siva 

 dewales the granite lingam was unearthed in situ. This was clearly a 

 distinct Tamil quarter. 



Excavation has been commenced (i) at the fringe of the Jetawa- 

 narama ruins, near " the Twin Ponds " ( Kuttam-polmnii) , and (ii) south- 

 east of the town half a mile across the Malwatu-oya, at Tolurela — the 

 ruins whence the colossal sedent Buddha was removed to the Colombo 

 Museum in 1891-92. This latter group of ruins is likely to prove a 

 monastery as complete and as replete with interest as those of 

 Vijayarama and Pankuliya already dealt with by the Archaeological 

 Survey. 



But chief attention has been concentrated on the Abhayagiriya 

 ruins. By the excavation of two more sections (east, south-east, and 

 south) the whole of the ruined area about the dagaba has at length been 

 dug, exposing to view in all nearly 100 buildings, large and small, grouped 

 together in distinct yet conterminous monasteries ranged round the 

 stupa with a regard to order which excites admiration. "With the 

 excavation of the four mandapas of the dagaba piazza — the clearing of 

 the four off-set altars of" the dagaba itself — and the running of a 

 trench round half its base from east to west, and clearing the fallen 

 debris oh 2 the three ambulatories (pesaval) — so as to permit of a true 

 survey of their circumference — work at the Abayagiriya ruins will be 

 closed, and operations shifted to Jetawanarama, or some other equally 

 important quarter of the ancient city. 



In the examination of the antiquities of the North-Central 

 Province, as supplementary to the central work in Anuradhapura, 

 great strides have been made during the past year. The Commissioner, 

 in the course of two circuits, visited all known ruined sites in the follow- 

 ing divisions : — Udiyankulam, Ulugalla, and Matombuwa Korales of 

 Hurulu Palata, and the Kiralava, Unduruva, and part of the Maminiya 

 and Kelegan Korales of Kelegan Palata. 



