viii. 



Appendix : — Proceedings of 



To the Honorary Secretary, Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society, 



Sir, — I have the honour to present to the Society eight pieces of clay 

 on which some ancient characters are impressed. They are found in 

 great abundance in a cave in Sina Corle in the neighbourhood of the 

 ruins of an ancient Budhist Temple. Two similar lumps of clay were 

 presented to the Society in June 1850, by the Interpreter Mohandiram 

 of Matelle, who supposed them to be earthen coins (?), and a few more by 

 Mr. Power from Badulla. 



The character stamped on them appears to be an old type of the 

 Nagari alphabet, although it is difficult to make out anything of the 

 inscriptions, but it is not improbable that something of their puport 

 might be ascertained by poring over them with attention and perseverance. 



I also take the liberty to send you six ancient Singhalese coins dug 

 near a Budhist Temple at Cotta. These coins appear to be identical 

 with those presented to the Society by Mr. Casie Chitty, of which he 

 published an account in the first No. of the Society's Journal. He sup- 

 posed, on hypothetical evidence, that these coins belonged to some of the 

 ancient Tamil sovereigns of Ceylon, who from time to time usurped the 

 Government of this Island ; but it would appear that he is mistaken in 

 this position. For I have really discovered that the coins in question 

 had been deciphered so far back as 1837, by the celebrated Mr. Jas. 

 Prinsep, assisted by the late Mr. Tournour of our own island. A most 

 interesting account of this discovery is contained in Vol. VI. of the 

 Bengal Asiatic Society's Journal, pp. 298-99. 



Through the help of Mr. Prinsep's plates I have easily identified all 

 the coins of this description in my possession, which belong to the follow- 

 ing sovereigns of Ceylon. 



1. - — Sri Wijaya Baha* (There are seven kings of this name in the 

 list, the first of them reigned at Pollonnaruwa A. D. 1071—1126, and 

 the last at Jayawardanatowa (Cotta) A. D. 1527 — 1534.) 



2. — Sri Parakrama Baha. (There were nine kings of this name, the 

 first of them reigned at Pollonnaruwa A. D. 1153 — 1186, the last at 

 Cotta A. D. 1505—1527.) 



3. — Sri Raja Lilawatte (Queen). A. D. 1202—1205. 

 A.—Srimat Sahassa Malla. A. D. 1205—1207. 



5. — Sri Dharmasohadewa. A. D. 1213 — 1214. 



6. — Sri Bhunareka Baha. (There were seven kings of this name, the 

 first reigned at Zapahoo in the Seven Corles, A. D. 1303 — 1314, and the 

 last at Cotta, A. D. 1534—1542.) 



I have not met with any other specimens of these coins ; Mr. Prinsep 

 mentions two more, namely those of the king Kerte NessangaA. D. 1192, 



* Vide Tumour's Epitome of the History of Ceylon. 



