No. 56.— 1905.] ANNUAL REPORT. 
341 
Archseological Survey, and by photographs supplied by the Archaeolo- 
gical Commissioner. 
The whole of the debris on the top of the building down to the flat 
wail round the box-like superstructure in the centre was removed just 
before the close of last season (1903), and all cracks provisionally filled 
at the top so as to keep out the rain for another year. 
This year (1904) cracks are being strongly filled up from the bottom, 
or, where this is not possible owing to their narrowness, grouted with 
liquid cement. 
The entire top and walls of the building have also been temporarily 
freed of vegetation. This was slow and difficult work, as several small 
trees had driven their roots into the brickwork, to which they clung 
with the greatest tenacity. 
By these precautions the life of "Thuparama" Vihare may be 
preserved for some years more. But its ultimate fall is inevitable ; 
unless the roof and back wall are once more united and the roof 
strongly supported. The fall of a roof so massive will not be gradual. 
Its weight is immense : when it falls it will collapse bodily ; and in its 
subsidence bring away a great deal of the side walls. This has already 
happened at the larger " Jetawanarama " Yihare. 
In view of the very real and imminent risk of further delay to 
this unique roofed vihare the immediate rebuilding from the founda- 
tions of the greatly ruined inner face of the back wall was commenced 
by the Archaeological Survey Department on the original lines. 
This work, so far as carried out, has been done with the 
greatest care and in the strongest and safest fashion. At the close of 
work for the year in September the whole structure was roofed 
in temporarily with jungle sticks, and ramha grass thatch, to protect 
it entirely against the north-east monsoon rains. 
(&) Wata-dd-ge. — The " Wata-dd-ge " is unrivalled as the most 
beautiful specimen of Buddhistic stone architecture existing in Ceylon. 
Upon a circular maluiva^or platform, (4 ft. 8 in. in height and about 
370 ft. in circumference), granite-faced and paved throughout, stands a 
structure, also circular and 75 ft. in diameter, as bold in conception 
as chaste in its execution. 
The stylobate, or basement, (5J ft. high) is faced with moulded 
plinth, " bull nose," and coping, relieved by two broad bands 
separated by a bold double cyma torus. These block dados bear 
figured panels in low relief — the lower, lions passant guardant, the 
upper, dwarfs in ever- varying posture, &c., both alternating with 
pilasters. 
The coping surface has a narrow gangway, upon which rises a parapet 
wall of stone slabs, ornamented in flower and trellis work patterns 
joining up a ring of 32 slender octagonal pillars with spreading capitals, 
8 ft. 6 in. in height. To each quadrant formed by the four cardinal 
doorways into the interior part of the shrine are eight of these short 
columns. Close behind this parapet is a tall brick wall. 
The only entrance to the lower maluwa of the Wata-dd-ge^^ was 
through a rectangular portico, bayed and recessed, projecting on the 
north. 
Within the brick wall (which mars much of the picturesqueness of 
