214 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XIX. 



surface a plaque of type V. was found in company with three 

 Pallavar coins, and near to this a plaque of type I. was dis- 

 covered. 



During excavations near Thuparama Dagaba a plaque of 

 type V. and several of type IV. were found together with the 

 unique circular double-die \ pana. 



Near Elala Sohona at Anuradhapura plaques of types I. 

 and II. were found together with Pallavar coins. 



This all goes to prove that the Pallavar coins, the plaques, 

 and the circular double-die coins were in existence at one and 

 the same time. 



The Pallavar dynasty ended in the seventh century a.d. 



How long before and after this period the plaques and 

 circular coins were in use it is hard to say. 



Mr. S. M. Burrows found some plaques in the Jetavanarama 

 at Polonnaruwa, which brings them up to about 1200 a.d. That 

 the circular coins lasted so long I think most improbable. For, 

 not being liable as are gold and silver to be melted down for 

 jewellery, we should find them at Polonnaruwa if they were 

 current much after 800 or 900 a.d. Probably they existed 

 from a fairly early date up to somewhere about the end of the 

 Anuradhapura period. 



The general result of this Paper is to establish the following 

 points : — 



That the coinage of Ceylon in early days was very scanty 

 indeed. 



That there was a single-die coinage in the fourth or fifth 

 century a.d., possibly struck in Ceylon. 



That a double-die money of a most interesting character 

 existed up to somewhere about 700 a.d., and was certainly 

 the immediate successor of the copper punch-marked money, 

 which probably went out long before its type in silver 

 did. 



That the oblong plaques were used from the seventh to 

 the twelfth centuries a.d., and very likely both earlier and 

 later. 



And that they were not money. 



