NO. 48. — 1897.] ARCHAEOLOGICAL SURVEY, SIGIRIYA. 117 



It is almost certain that there once existed three rows 

 of such half -figures in " pocket " 4 A ' and four in ' B,' 

 painted on the rock walls and projecting roof. Highest up 

 in the first line remain the single hand (No. 17) and a 

 very worn pair of figures (Nos. 15, 16) ; of the second row 

 only faint traces here and there ; to the third line belong 

 frescoes Nos. 3 and 4 of 4 A,' and Nos. 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 

 14 of 4 B ' ; whilst the fourth, or lowest, row is made up of 

 Nos. 1, 2, and 5 of 4 A,' and Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, and 13 of ' B.' 



The figures in 44 pocket" 4 B' are above life-size; those 

 of 4 A ' smaller than the ordinary human form — a diver- 

 gence due to the proportionate wall-space available. 



The scene intended to be pourtrayed would seem to be a 

 'procession of the queens and princesses of Kasyapa's court, 

 with their attendants, on the way to worship at the Buddhist 

 vihare at Pidurd-gala, the hill lying about a mile north of 

 Sigiriya. The figures are manifestly all moving in that 

 direction, and the flowers held in their hands by the 

 ladies, and carried after them by servant-maids, can hardly 

 bear any other signification. Grouping in pairs is chiefly 

 favoured throughout : usually queen or princess followed by 

 a lady-in-waiting of the same, or kindred, blood, or by a 

 dark-skinned maidservant of alien race. The latter (Nos. 4, 

 8, 11 of 4 B ') are given a greenish complexion — a 44 badge of 

 servitude " which clearly marks them off from the high- 

 born dames, their mistresses, whether pale-yellow 44 blondes " 

 or orange-hued 44 brunettes " — all three coloured types 

 reproduced frequently at Ajanta. 



Mr. Murray noted correctly 44 that the maid in each case 

 has her bosom covered with a jacket similar to that worn by 

 Tamil women at the present day." Of the ladies, he declares 

 44 many are nude to the waist " — an assertion for which, it 

 must be admitted, he had, prima facie, good grounds. As, 

 however, I pointed out in my Report for last year — 



A close examination confirms the counter-supposition (highly 

 probable on other grounds) from the known penchant of Oriental 

 sculptor and painter alike in bygone days for w^ra-diaphanous 



