No. 62. — 1909.] STONE ARCHITECTURE. 



337 



Slide 59. We see it, for example, in this ruin of the Satmdhdl- 

 prasdda at Polonnaruwa, as well as in the ruins of the Jetavand- 

 rdma, an imposing building 170 feet long, with walls about 

 1 2 feet thick and 80 feet high. 



Slide 60. In Kiri Vehera also, built in the twelfth century, we 

 see clearly the Dravidian style. 



Slide 61. On the embankment of Topavewa, an artificial tank 

 of about three miles in length constructed by Parakrama Bahu, is a 

 large statue carved in the solid rock. It is supposed to be a repre- 

 sentation of the king in the attitude of holding a palm leaf of the 

 Buddhist scriptures, probably emblematic of his devotion to the 

 Buddhist church. 



Slide 62. The temples at Palitana near Gujarat will give you 

 an idea of Jaina architecture. 



Slide 63. Adisvara temple. 



Slides 64 and 65. Mortisah temple. ; 



Slide 66. Prenichand temple. 



Slide 67. Interior of Bhulavani temple. 



The history of Indian architecture is an immense subject, 

 requiring years of patient study. It is so religious in its character 

 that we can get from every phase of its style an accurate idea of 

 the rise, progress, and decline of religious ideas not only in India 

 proper, but also, I may say, in all Eastern Asia. 



With the aid of these few illustrations, I have endeavoured to 

 bring before you the following fasts, namely : — 



(1) The existence of an advanced style of stone architecture 



in the third century before Christ. 



(2) At this period the Indians were masters in the art of 



carving in stones — a proficiency which required hun- 

 dreds of years of previous experience. 



(3) This type of ancient Indian architecture covered an area 



extending from the most northern parts of India down 

 to Ceylon — a fact which must be taken into account 

 when discussing the antiquity of stone architecture 

 in India. 



(4) Long before Alexander's invasion the Indians came in 



touch with the Persians, who used stones for building 

 purposes. 



(5) In India several styles of architecture exist, of which the 



Dravidian style must have had a long history, probably 

 going back to a pre-Buddhistic period. 



Archceological Survey, Ceylon. 



Before concluding, I desire, and think it will not be inappropriate 

 to refer to the work of the Archaeological Survey of Ceylon, which 

 is connected so greatly with stone architecture. 



I have been quite recently fortunate enough to be able to re-visit, 

 after sixteen years, the scene of my labours in the North-Central 

 Province, where for two years I worked as an Assistant to Mr. 

 H. C. P. Bell, Archaeological Commissioner. 



