ANCIENT BRONZES. 
57 
ANCIENT BRONZES IN THE COLOMBO MUSEUM 
Introduction. 
N the edition of the “ Guide to the Collections in the Colombo 
J- Museum,” which was issued in 1905, and also published in 
Vol. III. of this magazine, the bronzes were referred to in a short 
paragraph on page 22. Since that time considerable accessions have 
been received at intervals from the Archaeological Commissioner, 
Mr. H. C. P. Bell, C.C.S., culminating in great discoveries of bronzes 
in the Siva Devale and adjoining sites at Polonnaruwa in 1907 and 
1908. A provisional list of the 1907 series of Polonnaruwa bronzes 
was published in the Administration Report of the Colombo Museum 
for 1908. The principal objects in this series were photographed at 
the Museum by a local amateur, Dr. Andreas Nell, and from his 
photographs the copper blocks illustrating this part have been 
prepared by Messrs. Bemrose, Ltd., of Derby, England. Brief 
explanatory descriptions of these illustrations have been kindly 
furnished to the Museum by the Hon. Mr. P. Arunachalam, M.A., 
C.C.S., M.L.C., and will be found below. Mr. Arunachalam intends 
to publish a fuller account of the Polonnaruwa (1907) bronzes in 
the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society. 
A. WILLEY, 
Director, Colombo Museum. 
Age and Classification of the Bronzes. 
Oriental scholars will have their own ideas concerning the age 
and classification of our bronzes, but as they are not in a hurry to 
impart them, it is necessary to look about for a working basis of 
classification for local and immediate service. The readiest method 
seems to be afforded by the localities of the treasure trove, and will 
be adopted here. 
A catalogue of the ‘ ‘ finds ” made from time to time over a period of 
about sixteen years up to the year 1906 by the Archaeological Survey 
Department, and deposited at the end of 1906 and beginning of 
1907 in the Colombo Museum, was prepared by Mr. John Still, 
formerly Assistant to the Archaeological Commissioner, and was 
printed for private circulation only. This catalogue includes a 
number of notable bronzes. Unfortunately it was not found possible 
to classify the objects in chronological order, and there is no direct 
indication whether those from Anuradhapura belong to the first or 
second periods of its prosperity. 
I 
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