No. 56.— 1905.] 
ANNUAL REPORT. 
339 
No inscription, or other clue, has been found to identify the statue 
South of the statue some 200 yards, and within its direct purview, is 
situated a ruin known as the Potgul Yehera " (Library Dagaba). The 
surface ornamentation of the ruin resembles that of the Hindu Devales 
of Polonnaruwa. Bat its unique feature is the circular room at back, 
once domed, on the interior walls of which still exist traces of 
painting. 
This part of the ruin was gutted some years ago by villagers working 
under the orders of the late Giranegama, Diyawada Nilame ; and has been 
left since exposed to the very foundations. 
Sigiriya. 
The summit of the Rock and the traces below it to the north- 
west and south-west were cleared of scrub and weeds as in previous 
years. 
The only new excavations carried out were : — 
(a) The tracing of the ancient gate-way through the vil-bemma, or 
earthen ramp, of the city at the point where the present path to 
Piduragala pansala passes through it. 
(&) Below, and north of, the maluwa at the foot of the ladders to 
the summit, eighteen-inch-mortice holes in the flat rock and deep 
cut " sets " in the vertical rock face of the malima's verge, point to 
the former existence here of a spacious portico and wide wooden 
staircase from the city. The foundations of this erection were laid 
bare. 
II. — Restoration of Ruins. 
As the result of continued representation a special annual grant of 
Rs. 5,000 has at length been sanctioned for the preservation and resto- 
ration of the Island's antiquities. 
Last year this sum %as expended at Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, and 
Yapahuwa. . . 
Sigiriya. 
{a) Gallery. — The retaining wall and last stairway of the "gallery'^ 
have been finally united to the maluwa on the north side of the Rock. 
From the iron bridge to the terrace this fine staircase has some 70 conti- 
nuous steps, save for one short landing. 
The ascent to the summit of Sigiri-gala is now possible along the 
whole length of the "gallery" as far as the northern terrace, the half- 
way point where the serpentine " gallery " originally struck upwards 
through the lion-shaped guard-house. 
(6) Much of the deep stone-faced western revetment of the con- 
fined area below the " gallery," and between the north-west corner of 
the Rock and the so-called " Prison Rock," had long been washed 
down the hill side, leaving the small terrace, containing the remains of 
an interesting set of Buddhist monks' cells, in constant danger of dis- 
appearing similarly. 
To save it half of the huge ramp has again been laboriously built up 
in dry stone masonry collected from this and other ruined retaining wall&^ 
c 96-05 
