No. 48.-1897.] encu-aoloGrci\L sun\rny, sicrRryA.

INTEBIM REPORT ON T}IE OPERATION$ CF THE

ARCH&OI,OGiCAI, SURVEY

Af

SIGIRIYA,

1997.'*

Rv H. C. P. Bnr,r,, C.C.S., Archa:oloEical Commissioner.

sta,rtirig abruptly from the-plain with scar|ecl and per.pendicular sides, and c.rrverted by the rnilians into stro'grrords, accessible onl' by preciliious pathways, or sreps hewn in the solid rock. This giganti"c cyii'd'ical rock starts upward to a height procligio's r" with iis section at any point. Iis scarped^ walls are ,rearly "o-pi,:i.or. d1c1ly, anil in some places.they overhang their base. I,he fe"pen_ formation of this singular cliff can only be ascribedlo its upheaval by a subter_ tanern force so cir rmscribed in action that its effects wer.e oonfinecl withirr. a very feviyarcls, yet so irresistible as to have shot aloft this plodigious pencil of stone to the height of nearly 400 ft.

InrnooucrroN.f Siernr Rocx is situated in the Central province, sorne twelve miles north-east of Dambulln allci a score or so almost due west of Polonnarurva. Sir Emerson Tennent says of it-:sigiri is the only exampre i' ceylon of those soritary accrivities which form so remarkable a feat're i' the tabrerancl of tie Dekkan,

Above the plain in rvhich it stands this huge oval rnass of gneiss rock rises to a heiglit of about 600 fi. For about half its height it is masked by terraces and, ddbrr)s, covered. wiih forest and m,ri,na glass, and. the upper portion js, without the help of lailclers, entirely inaccessible from its overhanging its base nearly the whole rvar rouncl. Along the rvestern and northern faces of Slg,iri_gct,la ran a gallery-one of the most extraordinar.v engineering feats of the ancient lvorld.-at the ievel u,hcre ilre Rock has ihe smaiiest cliameter; so that n,hile it stancls upon th:r,t portion

u*"oJ ;; ***r",'1,nor"**''00.. *..1 .-",1n *"Jt,^- tl" whole set of .fncsinrile copies in oils of tle Frescoe.*. .rr' luf th" Papers on " Stoiri" in Journal. R. A. S., vols. vII. andVrII.
*"".
\r\' s
). l,J' Messrs. Rhys Davi,^ls anrl Blakeslel..

jliustrar,or,

94

.TouRNArr, R.a.s.

(cnyr/oN). [yor,. XV. I

No. 49._Ig9Z.] Ancnmor,ocrcArr suRvuy,

sicrnrtA.

gb

which projects below, it is at the same time protecied by the part rvhich overhangs it. The outer side of this gallery rvas formed by a brick vall tapering io the top. Ledges sunk in the Rock receivecl the wall, anil at a certain height
transverse blocks of a rlualtzose stone l,vere laid acrossfrom the wall to the Rock so as to folm a pavement. The wall had a coating of hard r,vhiie plaster, much of rvhich retains a high polish to the present tlme,

About a hunilred yarcls of this gallery still stand almost perfect; but, from the present iron ladciers on the north side of ihe Rock to the point where the gallery once reacheal itg summit on the north-east, the structure .has completely vanishecl. Grooves ancl oblong " catches " cut in the Rock show "nvhere it was formerly sustained. Uniil ihe fixing of the iron l;lilclers ancl railing in 1895 the ascent to the summit of Si11i'ri-gala was attend.ed wiih extreme risk; and had been accomplished by less thau a
dozeu Europeaus.

one urile to the

But for centuries the Rock has been entirely abandoned, ihough a small Bucldlrist temple is,kepi up at pitturigotrr,a h'I
north
situatecl

priesthood as a monastic establishment.

tops were crownecl wiih buildings, &c. As a fortress u rgigiri_nu,zuaru,, mrtst havo been impreg_ nable at the per:iod: its clefenders could have beon forcecl into sarrender only by starvation or treachery, It ivas liere, in ihe.fifth century A.D., that ftir eighteen years Krisyapa f., the paruicicle, livecl (as the vlahdLLta;r, qrrr;;i; puts ii) ,,in fear of the world to come ancL of li"gg"if,i;.,i, and ultimately met ihe just retribution of his crime.* Sigiriya rvas subsequenily handed over to the tsucirthist

countlessboulders, whose sides, where overlianging, formed. ro'gh cave shelters, rvhilst their

of the natural concavities of the Rock scarp have further scooped-on its west cliff above the galleryinto caves or ('pockets " ; ancl in two or three of theso' remains of painting may ;-et be seen. The ('pockets " aro ' now inaccessible without elaborate preparations The south-',vest foot of ihe Rock is washed. by a piq-', turesque tank-at the present clay of limiied area, bu,t t' anciently very extensive, "'vith a substantial (( bunil that joined the neighbouring 1'0ck, Mriytti-gal,a, ancl extencleclr' ': i southwarils for several miles. areag-'1' To east ancl west of the Rock are rectangular terraces of earthrvork held up by massive st,one revetmentgwhich, together with ihe Rock itself, cover nearly 300 and constitute the site of " Sigiri-nwwara." The o line of clefence was formed by an immense em surrouncLed for much of its circuitby a d,iydgalak, ot moayl Insid.e the western area, of the ancient city are tho remains of three or four lesser moatei[ enclosures, ancl
Some
been

survey ar Sigiriya commenced. on February 6 tasi. It had been found, ,ru..auu"y, ofter two years, wear, to construct new leaf and thatch ,,lines ,, for the coolies. tr or this purpose an over with a limitecl gang precedecl the main body by six *.;t:" Besides clearing a fresh site on higher grouncl at a more convenient distance
blocks of rooms, this advance torru-.n passabte the road.
O,t_

The

third

season,s

-":;Tr-riltArchreologicat

in _rnamulr*u exceptionalry heavy fl*l;l :1" rwuu;e-rrl r'e-cutting "")*rr_"^, monsoon of approaches to the Rock, rvashed away everywhere,-and. in freeing the zumn it of ihe thick l.tutlrl growth of mrina grass,t tall weeds]a"u.*"0 tha,t annuaiiy covel the sulface with aggravating
persistency.

from the tankiancl putiing up four u in rend.ering ""J"*",, from (;;;;tly

damagecl

t ..*:""- ;ilffi'";".i;J#:,Lll"Tl;ffi:'i ;l
'J.Jj":t:lampte
"
Xfuiltawarlsa,

rl

LenouR Foncn.

and

lore

satubrious housing provided

XXXIX^

nrl, r op t t g

Ze y

la

tt,

it

u,.s.

96

JoURNAI,, R.A.s.

(cEyr,oN). [Vor,. XV

hands, rvhich beEan rvcrk

living ,, grist." A score or more of Sinhalese ilrarvn from the surrounaling villages-clorible the n.mber ihat voru'teerecl for *o*k oi the Rock in 189{j-also soue,ht emplovrnent, and provecl rvilling ancl competent ,, bashet-men." As before, I supe:rvised operations pet:sonally, from the stari until rve broke camp on May 20. Wnelnnn.
Comparativelv litile rain fell at Sigiriya cluring ihe first, six montlrs of this -vear. 'rJ-Le rain-g.uge reeister (contin'ecl after m;i ilepnrtule b"v the r{ead Diaughtsrnan) gives a claily ayerage of only.l 2 in. for the six and a, half months betweon Februarv 1 ancl Jull 10. The highest recoril for trventy_four hours did not exceerl l'5i]; but ihat fell ,,plqmp" in an lrorrt an,l I lral f.

recluits fr,om Anura,clhapura ancl other pli...u. e.froou si, the highei rato of pay knorvn to rule at Sigiriya acted as the chief incentive, whereby the Archaoiogical Survey ,,mili; -'vas kept constantly supplied wiih a never-failing stock
of

in tr ebruary, by a steady influx of

into ugly sores_ kepi a small propor:tion of hancls in the ,,lines,, nowand again ; but orriv t1o left, temporar.ilv, to be curecl 1en at the l)ambulla hospital.

of furi,her operations for the ,r'e:rr. Ireve;., and simple ablasions incirlental to earthwork_ flom neglect not infrequeritly tlegenerating

4ij._1,\97.-l encn;morrocrcal sunvnv, sicrnryA. 97 all probabilit-v, to r,vholesale clesei:.tions, in ancl perhaps necessitated the total abandonment
.irro.

i' the j'ngle-bo'nd chenas and lor.v-I1-ing lancls about rrnrii.lhaprtra. l\lonth fr;. _"r'rtt.'r ttn" i espi re the unspeakable heai,";;;; ;:];T:r J_l ril]t;_ wollr ulton the bare Rock involvuu, ,r*f return, after the ilour motrths, absence, robrrst and sleek. wiih a stock of heLrlth that ennbles them io battje ii" Uurr"" against the insidious ilalaria of iire North_C.riroi J,.noir,"o. .lgain, this year no ncciilent of any sort happenecl*good fortune, for rvhich f cannot rrn t* iiurriror. l{o amount of precautions avails
vear
A

.JL';,:ili::,:1,i.'f i,;i"T.,,T"'TIil::,:f,,:?.:l-J:

At the beginning oIi May-later than usual-the

vind.
.tlt_:t_n*

"*"r"rrthe mad reckless_

veerecl ro*ncl to the .qo*iir-ri'est,*-the ir,nnral rvarning that the time reniainingJ for untestr,ictecl work on the top of Sigiri-y;Jttl,ct, is iirniieii to a ferv tla_rs. 'ILre teating strength of this " .31ctl,-ltttlrlr3gct," rr,hen full;r cievelopeil, as it sweeps across thc lone. exposed Rock, can only be realized by actual exper.ience.

IInlr,rn.
lfhanks to the continuance-unlike previous seasons-of unnsnallv flrre -*'eathei:, almost every rveek marked ,, a clean bill cf Irc:ilih." Turo milil c:rses of mcasies causecl me anxiet-v for a n'hile, The patients \\rc]'e l,t once sogr:egirtecl, ariil ltckil-v no fresh cases occrured. I{ad infection spread, that insensate panic which renrlers the ordinar-l Tamil cooly, or: Si1hzt"lese gaiyti, deaf to reason in the fa,ce of any epiderrLic l'ould have leil,

and chilcl has descencled in safety,_ no one rvill gruclge me the satisfaction i tu"l at a record stnilched by not a single casualt-v.

;J past three seasons at climbea to ii." top of Sigiri Rock, havr-' ,opent hours at rvork on iis limiieJ surface and stt,ep slopes, with a sheer fall .tt .oorra of iOO ,o 400 ft., yet th:ii every
lea,st 20,000* persons have

When

life airily a dozen times a *" it is r:ememberecl ihat ,;

"

man, woman,

t::, j111as .ig|l ,, nJ':l '' u,flr;

l,r l0:

Surrmlny op WoRK. of ye:rs, experience it is firir to expect U,_;:"::_,.^"-,,^Ule -"('!r '!rr)er'atlons, at a given site ilnd by practicall-v the qs n,ls, same shorrld
ploceed smooihl;_ und
l_.een

;Ir;.;. at Sigiriya. The pasi

season,s wor.k
b3.

claily f61.th.eoso2o6ns 61, 1i.. "ooli." 'Fdsulrs or t.nrec uonths: or, g0 J1,60r,.

98

JouRNAr,, R.A.s.

(cnyrroN). [VoL. XV.

has proveil successful even beyoncl expectation. No hitch occur::ed : all rvent well from first to last ; ancl, as the result, the heavy task provisionaily mapped out at ihe start vy6g
accomplishecl

fully.

The rvork goi through in the four rnonths ma,). be conveniently cla,ssed as in former Roports, under-

(1) Exploration trnil Survey

of Iigiri-n'uluu,rcr.

(3) Ifiscellaneous.
(.1) Copying the l-rescoes.

(2) Excavations. Succinctly-lhe "Mrlpd,-gctlct" Rocks io the south of Sigirigula, and the bunds to its east, have been freecl of jungle ancl explored ; the survey of the r,vide area once occupiecl by the ancient city completeil ; the rvestern and north-western porti.ons of the Rock's summit dug up (bringing to a close the excavation of the citaclel); ascent to the top of Sigirigala made doubly safe ; and, above all (for the speedy reproiluction of these unique paintings, yearly dwindling, had become of much rnoment), the whole of the sixteen frescoes remaining untouched in 1896 have been copied in oils by 1\{r. D. A. L. Perera, Head Draughtsman of the Archaological Survey.

(1) Exrr,onATroN AND SuRvEy oF SiGrRr-NUwAR,A. As usual, it wzls not until the encl of Api'il thai the Siphalese villagers of the Inamalarra K6ra]6 cared. to leave their padcly fielcls and seek rvork in clearing the forest undergrorvth anil lo'nv jungle, which covered parts of tire ancient city not openecl out in 1895 ancl 1896.t&
This year the trvo lorv buncls 'nvhich run eastwarals frorn the Rock roughly parallel for more than a mile, r,vere follorn'ed until lost in higher grounil. Their objeci is open to doubt : perhaps ttrey helped to retain in this tLirection the water of " Mcthd, Sigiri-uetucr," the huge tank that served. ihe city

in former da-vs. Its chief buncl, uniting Si,giri-gata with

* On the t'Rough Plan o1 8ir1iri.-nuuara" aocompanying this Report the extent cleared in 1895 is croloured dark green,-in 189(i, a lighter shadel"
in
1897, pale gleen.

'. ,i
I

No. 48.-1897.] ancH_oorrocrcArr sunvny,

MtQtd-gtala, trenc.led thence
6,

sicrnryl.

in a south-r,vesierly direction for leagne or more. ,Ihe ., u,il, l)e)11t17ct)', ol outer rarnpart, of the cit;' to the east of tjre Rock rvas also trilcecl,
{rurther, the forest brushrvoocl has been ihinned out for a quartor of a mile or so l,est of the moclern village of Sigiriya, immr:clialely south of the pncldy ficlcls and minol r:oad. frorn Inamalarva' wiihin this area., besicr.es a flattish outcrop of rock, Iie the ,,Mci1tti,-gccla ', r.ocks*twin hummocks joined on to the great Sigiri Rock by ilre shorb bun.l of the present insignificant tank, ancl splii in trvo b;. a narro\v gorge. The close connection of these subsidiar;, rocks with Sigit"i_gctta l'asi (as anticiilaied in my last Report) at once apparent as so(.111 as the underrvoocl ancl grass hacl been cut ancl bu"nt, '[Ipon, ancl abo't, rhe trvo main rocks and the numerous boulders and ievelled interspaces off their slopes, are traces o1 rvalls and cross-rn'alls in stone, with here and there a brick-strewn site. A single cave on ilre east sicle is siill utilizecl by the villagers for a humbl e ddwtit6. Near Mttpri-gctlu we fortunaiell lighted on an inscrihed pillar, albeit in pieces, of interest historically; for ii; prolongs conoiderabiy the period up to which. it is certain that Sigiriya continuecl ihe site of a monrstic estribiishrnent. 'l-Ipon the cleaih of Iirisyapa r. and the fail of his citaclel
utitl)pecl,rFas wellas the lesser rocks, bonlclers, &c,,

clearecl, ancl

o'thirt

sicle"

II

irl the fifih

centur.y, his younger brother and congueror, Moggalldna, gave, accor,ding to the Mahtiwclnsa_f
Tlhe Dalha and the Dlrthd,-I(or:rclarlra vihd,r6s at the Sitragiri Rock

Dighasn,nda

fortress itself into a vih6r6 he ga'e

to l,ire Srigalika and Dhammaruchi

biethreo ; urJ

Yihird.

lt

hu.'rlr.,g convertecl the

to mafrar,,ir..a,{ the elder

of the

Iloggalklna's son, .,the famous I(umdra Dhdtus6na,,, says tlie same chronicle, (,macle improvements to the vih6r6 that his farher had built."$
*,^"Ltot

'l

2. 1 rrrs great-uncre. the author of the first 36 chaptels of l:he .r.[ah,aua,sa,

Jfthfirunr1st.t,

under chena encroachilent, rvhich is engaging the atten_ ^l 1.".g"t, ol' the AssistanL Government Agent, M6ialri.

XXXIX..

41.

42.

J[uh[tu:rtr1sa.

XLL,

1,

[Vor,. XV. Ilenceforth Sigiriya drops altogether out of the ltah6_ wdnsc; recorcl, save for a pessing allusion to the murcler there of l(ing Sarigha Tisa and his son about 608 e.o. Too broken ancl rveathereil to permit of much of the con_ tents being read, the stone has .vielded the name of the royal grantor, " f iri Sctttg Bo," rvho, from the form of the
Sighalese char.acters, shouid be Sena

100

JouRNAr,, n.A.s.

(cEyLoN).

II.,

of a Budclhist iemple at Sigiri"vz'r

beginning of ihe tenth centiuy is norv assured.

so that the existence as late at least as the

(2) ExcavarroNs.

of the plan of rvork clecideal on last year (viz., to complete the digging of the Rock citadel before
pursuance commencing to break ground at its base ancl elservhere), the whole force was concentrated. on the effort to finally round off, if possible, the excavation of the summii. 'Ihe accompanying " Plan of the summit of ,9igiri-gala, 1895-1897," explains, by variecl coiouring, ihe direction and extent of our annual advance in digging. As pointed out

Iu

in my first ReporiThe general fall of the ground is from west to east and, less abruptly,

occupied it. The terraces along the high gronnd bordering the west edge and stretchinq inwards to about the axis of the hill fali away very graduaily from north to south, as do those from the central nolcuna, or poncl, to the south and east verge of the Rock. The steepest bank runs longituclinally south from the north enil of the Rock, marking the high ground off from the low-level area. The only high bank lying east and west adjoins the Rock's north-east edge.rF

from north to south,-doubtless following the slope of the living rock below. This natural declivity was evidcntly turned to accountnin the adaptation of the giouncl for the terra.ces ancl buildings n'hich once

We startecl in 1895 at the north-east corner, and keeping to the foot of the high ground on the rvest, rvorkecl our way slorvly-and, flom totai ignorance of r,vhat to expect, somewhat clumsily-dor,vn to the brink of the poldunct,. Last year (1896), strengthened in numbers as $-ell as by the valuable experience gained, far more digging was donet ancl tha,t cleaner withal. "t..
A. S.,ln,,rnnl.

t.f.

-ff f'..

fo. ir,.

rp.-,.

,-,

rr{o.

JB"-lE97.l encn,oot,ocrcArr suRvny, sir,;tfirya. tOl

the cieani'g

Le'ilring out of shelteretl fr'm -the ltokutur,,as the r'ind, for the last rvcek of tbe seasun;. *n"L.'()st p...,h;t-;;;.;';^ *" slrilirng tlrr: llock's ezrst erige, iucl so on southr,va.ds, .ntil the entii,e lon'-lulel area h'ing betr,veel the pouil ancl t.e 'the-h;;;;il;:TTil'::J,iT;.?j the riock,liesicles a- sma' sti"* of
e)i(';rvii,tod');3

.-

dt,,::: the liock cistern at the souih ro'the ;i;;,.]l^;lrruve -.,'.rq. irrr(t
uplJet,lnost, rooltr near tho nor.th cntl.
* C. A. S, ,rournat, vol. XIV., n".

",,0 Ja|ge upper apar.inents siruated towarcls ,i^,',,.'1,'t -''I\ 't)r'u,-wosf corner oll r.he Ruck. cour.t;alcls, &c., stretch the s,hole length of the .,,,f1",, l.lo-r, rLr gciluf asceriding tiers, from the sinall chamber
pen_

lil;l-:ll;:lJi ffi ru the

tht' jol'er. to the higher area, antl trn,n.trir.g onrvartls up Btlccesiiivcr flighis of stairs_a score in all, rnore or less_ ancl l,iong r.etaining rvalis, the ,no,r"ul
l

hat'e rve l:een d.isappointed. S1,ril'tiug at half a dozen points, where a step or two barelr. shorving above rhe ctdbris inOi.*iua

to ne taif the south-wesi gale fell on us. It is the more pleasirig, thelefore, to be able to record thai (n'ith the exception of a terr.ace some T0 ft. or so clorvn thc rvest scarp) the t:rsk has been thoroughiy rnastereil. ,\s far ils concerns the ciiadel ihat onte crowrred Sigiri Rock -.littis coron,ot r.rytt,rs. It is operr to any one nol, to ascel cl the Rock rvith ease and safet.v, and to f ollow out on its suunnit (slopes excluclecl) the completeplrrn of a marvellous strucirlre J,400 years olcl, yet in ouiline virtually as perfect as lviren lirst lzlicl out. I sir,id in 1896 that lve hoped 3. to uncover next year (e.e., 1897) on the higher level the chief rooms, for they rvould na,trrrallr- be built iu the most courmanding position.,, Iior
bare before

This season, as ti, glance ert the ,, plan ,, will shnrv, lve had-_ io i'[r'op for a moment into colloquiaiism_{s eq1 .ruort foity cui ont,', if ,.ilre high_level area, rvhich, broacll.r- *p"uLirrg, occupies the rvestern half of the summit,,' r ias

,*;;;;;il;";ffiil

north, south,

.i-1,1:t.;T*:

nr.irol. ,rn.

L02

JOURNATT, ri.A.S.

(CAYT,ON). [vOL. xV.

are oblong, anil all-or noarly all-the chambers hacl corridors conopletely rounil them. Many passages, &c', were pavecl throughout rvith quartz slabs; though much of this choice pavement has been displacetl by the wash of centuries,

All

or from being deliberately put to other use by Buddhisi monks, rvhen the fortune of rl'a'r found them loeated in the ,,marblehalls " of royalty. To this latter accident is also probably due the sorry internal alterations which some of the Toomsseemtohaveunclergone,_i[ivisionanclsulrdivision,until the original configuration is pa'st tracing with certainty' moulclings, So, too, as regarcls surface clecoration-stucco like, that I(isyapa's royal stronghold' ornament, and the would hard'ly lack-a few stray fragments' turned' up by ('sons of the spacle, are tlre sole traces left to us by the to Buddha," inurecl to simplest surround.ings and averse of permit world.Iy attractions to break in upon the austerity d.aily life. jungle off On clearing the tangled mtina grass anil low us' It became the west eclge of the Rock a surprise awaited the slopefor the fi.rst time evident that the whole sid'e of than on the other faces-hacl boen here more prolonged the foundations of a lorver reach of f*ooo"d. cleeply to holcl of the rooms ancl passages, ancl drain ihe surnmit speedily heaviest raintall. skill which The bolclness of conception anil pre-eminent

the steepest slopes enabled these old architects to make even will, led them to annex of SLgi't"i-gala subservient to their

exterior wall proniutty"roery inch of possible foothold' Th.e (except on of th. citaciel, which rvliolly engirclleil the Roek feet-indeecl the south-west), rvas built everyrvhelo several yards-below the flat for a great part of the circuit some all rouncl from summit, antl must have risen majesiically the verY brink of the PreciPice' the sheer Nay mbre : at one point it positively d'escend'ed side of the Rock to a lower reach' towarcls its Two-thirds of the heighi up the west cliff' 50 yards northern encl, is a teagit the main Rock noarly

- 6rvc u ctenet,al, Vround 1:tlntt.

^*Ciinrbing

through the rengih and breadth of this wond"ous structure u fujl Report, illustr.ated by detaited plans of IO.uo stairs, r'ooms, &c., "o".id;;r, numbe red. sertcttint, irok" such circum_ "un I el ligible. For ;.':,:l:l]::"tntne citadel, as the present " u, it siands exhumed, may suffice ;; :r1.:"r- ".

rock t6 Pockets."x The obvious suitability of these, ancl the similar, but higher placeil, pair of caves at the southern extrernitv (t of the Rock, for r.vatches', over the countr; f"om souil, to north-west, cannol fail io strike any one studying the capabilities of Si,girt-gcr,la as a rock fortress. To that (,belvederes.,'_if purpose tirese primitive f may so term ihem-mu$t have been applied. rvhen the citadel was threatened : whilst in times of peace they rvoulil signal messages broadcast to the city spread out below. At present, the only means of reaching this barely accessibie break in the rvestern cliff is by a rope let down ihe long sl,pe from the summit as far as the vertical rock wall, with a straight drop thence of 15 fi, on to the ledge. Too late in the season we succeeded. in getting a lungie_ stick ladder into position at tho bottom of ihe stoie, Ina commenced to excavate tbe ddbris covering stairs that lead clorvn to the small look_out caves. But the south-west galo caught us wiih the work half finishecl, and its comple_ tion has to stand over for next year. tt*: enough to guide the inquirer step by step on paper ,,
or $at]r pecl caves,

suRvEy, sicrnrye, 103 No.4E.-1897.] broadr*from belorv it looks a mere streak inlength b]'10 by a litile vegetation,-which terminates in marked
trvo

encuaorroercAl

l;*;;;;;i"A;

idea

of its

comltler, yet harntoni,ous,

ct &rI osy gr.actient.

the iron laclclers at the point where the gallery l.lt]iY':t**.d up the north face of the Rock_first west, then *;""":'r""clr-cut grooves (from rvhich all vestiges of --"; rlrlVe lonq since disappeared) qrr 4 u r --" v*/ run up to tfie summit
r-

------

See

Plate, t,Si,gir,i-gala (West face).',

104

JouR,NAr,, r,..A.s.

(.cr,lyr,oN)" . [VoL. Xy.

citadel r.vhere terracecl arrilngement rvas inevitable from ihe irreEular conformation of the Rock's surface. .I.his area was seemingl-v alloi;ted to court-.vards, pass:iges, and sicie rooms. Haif-r,vay a, rvincling stairca,sr: of th.ree ol four flights of sieps-the l.ongost on tho Roclr, airct piercecl at its head through iail flanliing r':rlis-shon-s the means of clirect commuiricatiou s'ith the u.plier arell to the n,est. Ai the side of tlrerse stails is the magnificently carved ,, octrl-d,scr,noya,,, or granite throne, cliscovered in 1895. On the left, skirting the east edge of the Rock, was a range of minor room$ and passages, doubtless communicating rvith an outelrnost corridor, rvhich trlmost encircled the citaclei. 'Ihis serie-q of side chtrmbers v'as continuecl on to near the south end of the llock, interrupiecl only at the pond, where extra rooms, &c., iniervele. As I had occasion to noie in lasi year's Re1-rort :That part of the aucieni citu,del lying souih of the ponil, ancl east of tl-re highJevel strip, was laicl oui in a series of cross-terraces, east
anil rvest, r'arying in rvidth-ancl falling zrway southwards. From the polcuztt to the foot of the lasi staircase at the extreme southareseven or eight distinct terraces......... The centre is taken up with an open courtyarrl t'Lnd pirssales leading to the pond, ancl round it, on either sicle, by stairs and interrnediate lautlings-nll admirably planneil. to suii, the physical conditions, lnd riisplayirrg great irgenuity in turntng to full accouni the limited space ancl surface inequulities of the Rock's summit.':

nfou't tlie topmosr fiight of sieps the ersirvhil ,,g*ilepyr, 'f still irr position ; anit note the vit:rv. nirectl"v in fro't, l,oking sn.'.h from the vantage gro*ncl of the east io I'est cr.oss bank, str.etchecl belorv as far as the central 1tr,tlnt.ttct,, i.q so rnuch of the lou,er area as lies between rhe Rocli's north ancl east edges and the high ridge that occupies the rvestern half of the surnrnit. Most here is com_ par.ativeh. level-tire onl-_v level por.tion of any extent in a

Nc. ,ftJ"-1892.J ARcHaorroercAr, sun,vEy,

sfcrRryA.

105

Ilusl<in forcibly pronounces ((more tragic than uttermost ruin.t' The I otvest staircase*trt the south_rvest corner of the Rock_ilescent'lswith a right angle return to the ,. watch-cave ,,in the perpolldiculal'cr:ag on ihis side. The southernrnost tnr";;, to the east of these stairs, was clearly declicated to cloacina. Of the higher level half of the summit f have already spokeu, as containing a su_ccession of apartments, rising in tiers nolthrvards.
The backbone, as it rvere, of the citaclel is found in the rvith steps descend.ing ever antl anon" that was carriecl along its axis from end to encl, hugging the retaining rvall of ihe riclge, ancl rvinding rvith iis angles, but for the 'pper most pai.t running straigirt o, uo ,,""o*. From ttrl* ,,rpirrui colurnrr " branch off, east anil rvest, stailcase ,, ribs,,, which wouiil *,uder commrrnicatio'betrveen
pavecl rvay,

stairs. No less perfectly planned was the ziater su1rytty. The rock-hcrvu 7tr,t/tuna,nearly 30 yarcls squu"u, c"ntrally situated anil accessible from every side, rvould suffice, when.re_ monsoon iljil:,:: ""1^".1:0, by ihe norrh_easrensuing rains, for "^qr',rr') requrlements during the dry months. For ch,inhing rvater resort rvas had, in all probability, to trvo trt least of the three smaller cisterns close to the Rock,s north, *oulh-rvest, ancl south_east .ag"r. trvo regarclin g th,a arcltt)tectural consttt.tction of orl^:r':,,_". une cii&iiel.

il. .;;;;; easy.oil rapid; whirsi each section ", rvas eq'a'y.r"tt.."oud; by thn r:r: nningly designed interconnection of its own comporrent cljvisions, through a maze of minor passages
and

ail parts

I\fole than orro of these terraces htis been curtailecl and

hid.eously disfigured by single^bric4: uctlls of later constructt tion-" patchecl up into a smoothness and s[rugness
*
C. A. S.

, Furth,,r lenqthenin of the cleep longitudinal begun trnr -,^.._:, ]Y ---..uoL ]exr.tr.om the extreme *, "
,ht.
f

Journrl, vol XIV.. No. 17, 189{j, p. 2irl.

and run dorvn to the rock core. Upon u....i,.,)' lli]1". llt"t, vertical or in batter, plain or moulied, LU Irosltrol] trnd purpose, bui all alike coated

;TJTf ll.'-:t"rr thrt the founclations rver.e iluoughour rhe low.i.."*,,1'.,: rn genernl, of ihai form of sionervorlc,,koo*rr a,

trench, southern verg.e, confir:ms

;il:,i

i:.::,r""r?],"

O.-yi

thickly

106

JouriNAL, R.j\.s.

(cEyLoN). [vor,. XV.

rvith a iough plaster, thitl ancl polishecl, that has resisteat tire damp in places io this day. The massi these waus bespeaks considerable heighr "Hr"jffi,T::ilj ihe f.ct that ihe brickr,vork r,vas a'nost dry-raicl and inlitl fe'ently bonded crosswise. But in (.make " these br.icks-some a cubit in length_shame most of our "";;;; _"d;;; outturn, being as well burnt as thoy are sharp and close. Of the system of roofittg we know nothing beyoncL the certainty ihat it was timbered throughoui and flat_tiled, in ihe siyle familiar: among the Anurdtlhapura ruins. A rnarked feature of the ground pran is rihe e*atic rocation of steps. As often as not, they are pushecl a,side from the centre of the r.ooms into rvhich they lead, and relegated io all sorts of ocld corners. .I.his vagary was no doubt forced rrpon the a,rchitects by the unconformable surface of tho rock, rvhich hacl to be reckonecl with everywhere. But noteworthy, above erll, is l!rc comltlete absence oJ ttt,onolitlt. ltillcu.s c|rt,cJ str.trte-curued, doorways,the most salient characteristic of ancient structures in the Islancl. Whilst quartzous steps ancl flagstones were lavishly employed to enhanco the beauty of this peerless citadel, not one frzrgment of column, door-frame, or rvindorv-sash in stone has come to lighi on Sigiri.galct,. Above the floor all was of brick or wood. As for grreiss, wiih the sole exception of the nobie throne abovb mentioned-like silver in the days of Solomon-6( it r,-as nothing accounted of," and finds no place in l(asyapa's cltadel. Little rvonder that the glory of a structure, towering to heaven on the ctizzy heights of Bigi.ri-gala, u white as snow " rvithin and without, shoulil call forth irresistably the uualloyed aclmilation of the olcl chronicler, not given to spare its master-hancl, I(ing I(dsyapa, ,6that wickecl ruler of men." '( He built therc," so it is rvr.itten, ,,a lovely palace splondicl io beholcii like unto a seconcl itat amaoAe, ancl livecl ihere like (iis lord) Kuv6ra."'F
'? f,.[a h a

No, 4li._Ig97.J encn,+;or,o(+rca1, suRv.o].,sfcrRryA.

FIol liitle
sironghcilcl

10?

ancient' ben.ty anct grande*r of gig iri-n,u,taarn, the 1ra'ricicre,s

corlpa,ratively now lemains

io attest the

:-.

Those golden pallaces, those gorgeous halles.

ri,o.",t"tJill::H;_::i:::,:i::,j:*,11?,ng
Evanish all like vapour.. iorifr"-"i.".

\Vith fourrrirnr.o (,,n^-n., :. ,:";

wa,,s,

Mrscnlr,e.NnoUs.
Of extra rvork carried out this year_apart from the copying of ihe frescoes, r.vhich will be irlesenily deali with_the rnost important was the improvement, obviousiy czilied for, in the means o.f ascent to ihe Rock,s summit. The irvo stout iron-laclclers pui up by the public Works Departinent in 1994_g5, rvhich iancl the climtrer :r,t ihe bottom

of the grooved slope (ihe track of the ,, girllery ,, long righi hand_rai]s ancl flat .irrrl.itify ,,u.uot. Noi so the lo'rv singJe rail carried tp rhe *fopu'io'ri. top of the Rock from tlie heail of the iadclers. fihi* maiesnlft hanclJrold was distincily unsafe_as easy to slip uncler as trip over_and. each season
since \'vashecl away), need oniy iron belorv the rungs to furilrer ting

I, therefore, took upon myseif this year the responsibiliiy of making, once forall, n "Uniou Jact.l, r""r" l" ii"*"'ii,irrrorr"l stanclai.ds have L,eerr
thena,_arr,l

it rvith

I irave hacl to iake the ;";;;;;"" of supptemena close_tiecl fonce of;rogf" rii.Lr.

sunl< into the rock, u frigh* diagonal bars flxetl across

Irur,s

iuil run

ihrough

that ivas hard ror men to ctimb,,,-as the rt._may for the f uture be ascencleil in ne;fect-s"ier.v by the most iimid. -vlr. Fcr.el.a beinE fuily occnpied in painting the frescoes 'lll:'1" drarving in aeta' or rvars, stairs, o.*, .;;;;:.o slnce liJ96 rvill be resumerl and completei

each span.

,',,:,1)::,:::Rock, .." ,,,,1,0

;:l'::ll:;,

t al],,. d,,
t

XXXIX.,

p. ] b.

,.,trli'--l::u ltttotogt'alt/ts and uprvarcls were addett to the ','; *, ",, i'"li .:' Ji ;i?:: :1.;:1ff

#l:

H.:,il""'fi;
I2

108

JouRNArr, R.A.s.

(cnyr,oN).

[Vor,. XV.

No. 49._1997.-l encn.aorrocrcAr, suRVErr.

possible to stucly the architecture of every portion of the citadel, even when, as is inevitable, much now stzr,niling shrl,Il have yielcled, to the " tooth of time an1 razure of oblivion.tt As in past seasons, ferv "finds" of special interest were

sicrnrya.

it

may st,ili

l:e

10g

of the

left for Sir A. H. Gorclon, when Governor of Aeylon, to initiaie practicctl, action for th ouoru' ror rne
was

Rut it

paintings.

securing of copies

clamps, &c., brought to 1ight, it is clear thai the doors were massy, and strongly bound. A hanilsome Greek-pattern vaser or cruse, blue-enamellec[,

clug

up. From the quantity of heavy iron nails, bolts,

is the chief piece of ancient pottery yet yielded. by the

excavations.tF

ffi";il:-"ts
1891,*

At the desire Excoilency the Governor, "r- "], Mr. A. r{urray (aided by Mr. F. G. pigott, both of the public w.orks Department) undertook in lggg the uninviting task of reaching the fre,scoes ; &ncl, surmounti ctimbeci inio rhe targer, or more .ootn"rtfl,$lr,1tTt:tH: " in which rhe only well_pr.eserved paintings
In ir short paper communicatecl to ,,Blctc/t, and, Wltite,, in Mr. l\furrtr,y thus describes the methocl then adopted.

CoPYrNc rHE FRES0oES-

'Ihe r'vhole set of the unique frescoes of Sigiriya has at length been faithfully reprocluced on canvas' anil in a manner rvorthy of the original paintings. The Government and. ihe publie orve this huppy result to the singuiar taient, unflagging pat'ience, and real courage of one man-Mr. D. A. L. Perera, ex-stuclent of St. Benedict's Institute, elncl norv Heaci Draughtsman of the Archmological Survey. Altogether, from first to last, in 1896 and this year, Mr. Perera spent nineteen weary weeks-practically five montlrs--in the cheerless " pocket " caves of Sigiri"gal'a rrorking on clay after clay from morning to evening-exposeil Iatterly to the driving force of the south-west wind, ancl sorely tried" at times by infltlmmation of the eyes ancl attacks of fever-before the final touch could. be put to the last of
the rrvenry-trvo Paitrtings. To glance back for a moment at the gradual steps leading

for the ascent

:-

r..,.";.;;;;"n1,",j,""i'";"f

,;"|,il,:;,;l"Tlio5","
ryi;;;;

Holes''vere jumped into-the rock face, one above the other, as the timber staging was carried_up, l;;;;l'r;;"_ driven home and secured with cement. To these "; ih; Jagi"L'';J, Iashecl anC rendered secure" Once the chamber *u, -;;;"-.ton"nr""u wooden rungs was made fast-to "*"i*?-; il;o rope ladder rvith _t"rt su.l< into the floor of fhe chamber itself * "l*,U n"*rble by attachment .and to tlro s[dgi11g. The erection y5f" th".;;g?;; ". ,""1'u, mrttcr ............ It w:rs found "f thrr ti;fl;"";';; no means an easv ihe ,.pocket,. *u. too slc. l, :rn ansle to actmii "i rron sl:rn.hions were therefor" .;,;;;; :il,;, nr.ch less srandins. "f i"i i"t"'ir,"'d""ir " "on''il,;.?,. a strong tresrl. t,,. tu.nr. ""0 prnccc,l a pl a r f orm,

o.t tha ,.h1m[sr, the staq as erected, made ihem by iol,lJ'r*"'*'

il::"*"":T.ilnru;:::"ll;*;,*::
it oniv
pr.rssible

to

cop.v

up to this fuII fruition of hopes, which in 1895 seeme'l faint incleecl. The frescoes, in their inaccessible isolation high abovo the " gallery " that clings to the Rock, well shelterecl by iho beetling prag, have naturally attlacted the notice of evory visitor to Sigiriya. Tennent, Rhys Davitls, Blakesley, each in turn speciaily allud,es to them.
t'Exhibitecl at the Meeting.-Ilun. Sac.

Murray iJjl._,fl,lll;,il:-t]:,,"u r -*5rrL arvay copies' done in corourecr cltcr,l/rs, of thirteen (aii ue coulr,,l leach) of the seven,".;;,;;;.",n ,,pocket ,,, t hay 8.,
be t:ermitted to repeat here rvhat

.,,.::Ji,"--"*.;-TTffi:ilJn"."u in
rime

io u.*"*r_Mr.
I
said. last

by trre harsh

)-ear:_

g:{ry,*::,::^:ni",i:,*ili,^",{,:y:,;:;;x,,"i;:;zi,,zi:,
*lr

p.gJ'o 'nt't

reprinf erl

in

the i,e11/,,n ,,r,,,r,,.,

R,

gixt,.r,.,ir,.

*lf"f'j:; ::.jl::"t drawiug hung in the public Halt showecr (ro lefr) the "r "p,. a i,i. i;:"l iil ;il;',#; L'"J.,..i,'g, y, :; ff lll{_,'l. j;,,
;:,g

"".

lr..

::;'

110

JouRNArr, n.A.s.

(cnyr,oN).

[Vor,. XV.

1\[r. Mnrray's efforts are beyonil praise......... That, under eircum_ stances more favoura,hle tlte Archeologicul, Sztrxe,g has brq erobi)s to obttlin, .for th,e .first tittzc, antwal .fa,csintiles of th.e Sirtiriyu 1.^"urrl just as they remoin r.r.ftertlte t.aear o.ru'|, Lear of neo:t'iy fi.fteen centuri,es* need in no degree iletract from the individual merit of Mr. Murray,s pioneer work.'13

as \ve know, ., to command success." 1\{r- Murray has done more : he has deservecl it. His rapidly executed, but none the iess beautiful, crayon clrarvings aclorn the Nluseum walls: to drag them into comparison rvith the fi,rtished, copies irl oi,ls of a traineil draughtsman lvoulal be as unbecoming as unjust. In 1"R95-our first season*(' |,{y. Perera was prepared'with nll requisite materials for copying the fresco portraits." Bui it was not until the follorving year, after protractedl corresponclence, that ihe Public Worl<s Department solveal the clifficulty of devising some inexpensire plan for making both tlne " pockets " ('A,' ( B') accessible. Several alternative proposa,ls culminated in a. suggestion of the Provincial Engineer, Central Province, which .was adopterl. IIr. R. D. Ormsby designecl-* A vertical rvire ladcler, cane-hooped, and securely fastened to iron jumpers above antl sbout rings below-a mode of ascent theoretically
t6

"Iis not in mortalsr"

simple, but requiring a firrn hold :rnd a sure heail.f

This laclcler i,he Pubiic Worhs Depaltment could not into position fol some time after we commenced work last year. In consequence, onll' six /ctcsintila copies of the complete series were finished in 1896. The delay rvas, trorvever, turned to account profiiably in a collateral direciion--the securing of a comprehensivo painting of the tr"'o " pockets " ' A-r' t B,' and tb,eir frescoes us fl tahtlp.I I quote from last year's Report :The height of the " pockets " from the glound anil the galler/1"-n:i:r:r "*'1-TT""""'1 "
get
* C. A. S. Journal, vo1. XIY., No. 47. 189{i, pp.236-57. fd'., p'?5!: t in lBesides the copying of Linettttiyan rcrt}li" painting, disr:overed care under a boulcler w-est of the Rock^

iT:i-"11]"''1tIj'
^ a

stG!Rt-GAr_a.

116.

49.-1897.] ARCHr'',oGrcaL su*Vny,

siernrya. r

pulled ha.lf rvay up the Rock scarp. Ilauled up thus, one swung in the air upu,a,rds of 150 ft. above the ground, nna iO-it. clear of tbe ciiff.j3 rnstantaneous photographs rvere tried, but with ritrr" ..r*;;_; ;;;g to thc strong wind and an indifferent drop_shutter. Orr ihe other hrnd. rfler a week.s ..rockirrg.:-in *p."", nlr. perert complcted an excellent litUe oit paintir_rg, to sc-ale (about olund). This shows at a glance the relative position #
Uru

at such a distance that even a tele_photcgraphic le's t*iled to bring them reasonably close- #J'thu."fo." decidccl io phoi,,Sr"aph and paintthe two f"o_ mill-a"ir, ,\ +_ur. h;r$,ser,was lowr:red "uo", grouncl fro11 to ilre 1ft6 surnmit over the 11'r:st, cliff (which here projects c,irrria""nbiv;, ancl a silong iron bound to the end. Through this block . bloc]< zr i and a,ri improviseit chair nr*ry'tiuJ o,Jillr', ,,*

any o]1e point, except

ilt_:JT.:Ti:l

r"o""ut figures.f

This season the same rvire ladcler was erected in good tirne" Mr. Perera set to work in Februar;,, and plodcled steadiiS''ntir, first, the remaining uluou'fr:escoes on of (( porliet " r B,' and finally, the five in , A, hacl been copieil in eor*r.y particular. As to the wonderful fidelity vdth .which Mr. perera has carriecl thr.orrgh a labor.ious undertalcing, encompassecl by great di{ficulties, f can but reiterate tfre "higtr opinion I put on
record last

year:_

ro.asserr rhar the copies rel)resent the origin:rlJ'tcscoss, as thcv-r".i;iii]'""^:::'.:1:.'."1)ies relresent rhe be seen at Sigiriya, with a faithfulrlm^o+ h^-r^^1 .- .may.still N,, u ii o .,oi T"_i"H; or cor.u r, but has t""r,,up"oir ", :;';:i:,T"*1,,l_"1:"""11

L1;:lf.:*:':S_I: li"

ness

fatis li::tl: the ,,gauer,;.,,,within almosi per:pen,]icutarty to l:u1:", 1: .;; ffi;ilil'#,liiLfi ll: l,:::,:t ro" .i:r;; ot:.: .t the larger ,:fo"f.ut,, ,8., 4 fr. lillt"l1:^":".1 l":uThirs cave is failly i."-1."a*
a in. by

; ;;";;jJJ,#:ff j *rur ;; # ff '""?"Tjri,i ;il "ffi fi".:d,

o"L

;;;; ;.
",#

-38 fi.
ahr-D''c -"d ri{,,

I1 f;. g in._ancl more than high enough to

<1eep shadows

roomy

were casL by the settirrg sun, [A,, hibirio" ot ibe .i." ;rls."_''t t,, r. 5,,..1 at,the Meerins. rh" *'io,n.i.' n,,,-, *,ffi::i'H:"j has heo,, tithoiu.' l,.u,, rin nr,"t"s.,;h';=; *'.5;::no*:{',1,?"ot"te "_ "tlrat Mr. perera.s .ujo;"];'1..111 work has fri.,, on rhe spoi nrrd ""oiri""a -il;'Jl.]il::^'1t:l:j:'::..flg- a succession of visitors, orncial ana private, nuintin*.'"n'if_rtne opportunity of comparing the copies rvith the originai
i., I rft

''lalo. The \yjng

was on e:

,"";;;;;il

l'h

tn

gtq'|t

/ta/

h, l' t,'.,r, 4., .t,

1 11,

rrr,1

",

11,

712

stancl

the floor rises steeply on to a narrow slanting tuAgu, ooiJ 3 ft. 6 in. in heighr anct bur a cubft in widih_in"

(cEyrroN). [Vol. XV. in upright, exeept at the left, or north, eni[. Here
JouRNArJ, R.A.S.

It was not practicable for Mr. Murray in lggg to reach this northern cave from his trestle staging. Last year, at the outset, I had iron standards (3 fi.4 in. in heighi), with a singlo top rail, driven into the roek above the laclder along the eclge of both ,. pockets,' and the connecting ledge, as an essential safeg*ard. \Mithout such hand-rail a slip on the smooth shelving floor woulcl mean instant death on the rocks fifiy yards below.* Thirteen of the frescoes in ,. pocket " ( B r can be easily touchecl from the floor, being paintecl on ihe rock wall and lower part of the oblique roof at the back of the cave_the. throat, so to speak, of gaping rock jaws-but they are not. on one level. No. 14 is on the wall at the south, or right ('horn of the half-moon chamber ; Nos. 15, 16, anct 17 (bhe " solitary hancl) well up the concave roof--and all four boyoncl the floor line. To get at these paintings it rr,'as necessary to construct a cantilever " of jungle timber, firmly lashed to a stout iron " cralnp let into the rock floor. To the extremity of this projection was tied a rough .,cage " of sticks; ancl from this uncomfortable and perilous perch Mr. perera macle his copies of the last and lofiiest frescoes in (, pocket rr r 3.'t Even more difficuliy and danger attended" the fixing of a hurdle-plaiform outside the extremely narrow and slippery ledge separating ttpocket" .B' from .A, and onwardsto the termination of ,;\.' It iook fully ien d.ays to complete this messa, or stick-shelf-only a few hancls being induced. by special remuneration to risk their lives on the job. In addition fb l-in. iron bar:s supporting the woorl.work (tbe whole braceil strongly to ihick iron cramped into the rock)'
* Photographs C.

possible means of approach to the second, and much "pocket " ' L,' rvhich is barely 3 ft. wide.

small;
$
)rr

*il

.to
od

;{
F
CJ

! a
o

rll

o
CL

Jo

=
!t
l,

q)

o
C)
LD

T a

tr
l!

rd

633.634.

t Photograph C. ?85.

No. 48.-1897.] aRcH,ool,ocrcArr suRvny,

siernrya.

1lB

ofanyoihersthirtmayhaveexistedwasineviiaLie.',}

,_r, precipiceprotected partially fro-m sun and "?rli rain, .o tirut thu destruction

number which coverecl the bare and perpendicular rock immediately above the terrace [gallery]. ft is untikely orly frescoes should have been painiecl where t,he.y can be so hardlv and so little seen ; but t_hey are found in almost

tho hurdlo had to be further held up by a central hawser anil sicle ropes, hauled taut rouncl trees on the summit of ihe Rock nearly 300 ft. up. When finished, this improvised plaiform.ltoo{ out-from the ctiff t5 fi. horizoniaily.* ('pockets"_there other are ,(scooped wiihin ihe living gtone," furiher north along the western face of the Roci and higher up siill. The larger of these were also plastercoated ancl painted ;. but the colouring has ciisaipeared almost entirely, and it is doubtful whether the caves themselves can norv be reached in any way.f It is reasonable to conclude, from their being found in so inacces_ sible a spot, that the frescoes are merely the laJt remnants of a large of similar paintings

;h;;;;

iir"-".fy

an (. Interim Report " such as this, it is not possible io do full justice to these unique paintings. They demand special treatment in detail, and that I hope to give later. I{ere I must limit myself to a rctpi,d, genrrot d,escrt,ption, drarving attention merely io certain br"oad features rvhich un through the frescoes as a group.

fn

To pass to lh.o frescoes themselves.

*."..ii'i"yJ|:,led 1th .'.',,;il,Jnffil|}i

*Photn.-.*,

tt"roo"r,il,":_":

not nr acceptation of the term: nor do nul.h"f !he_tr19 corr,espond],to the rtaiianl,"is;o';;r', il:l.JJo^?"_1" (where rhe entire

cceval and even mole lemarkable congenels at Ajanta_they have no claim io be thus honoured- Says Mr. Griffiths, when reporting io the.Indian Gooe"nment on the Ajanta paintings :*
ut"
,,frescoes

"frescoes." But

Ii is usual--and. convenient_to siyle the Sigiriya painiings

in reaiity_like their

y"l

":L. _6.".t prepared for painting on and then lime water before the painting was com-

i,.:ifi:Jl",
%%
I;J.

the paintings we"re execured

il,H:li*j*:;i;l'i1 p.. *. anr., vol II.. Is7i.

1--_-

i'S: ii?l."!it?],_

y;,,,;,!:,,,,,

f;".".

"

11.1

.rolrRrdArr, R.A.s.

Ap;rears to be compo-serr of cowdung, with an imnrixture _ pullerized trap, laiil on thc roughish surface of the rocrr ro r +L;^r_ of va.ying from qui*ter to half inch. over this s'ounrl *; ;;i:")'.t:.." 'arq \tne intonctr:o of) thiu, smooth plastcr, aboLri the thicki ress ol an egg-shell, upon wliich the painting $rrls c[.)ne.ti'

mixecl *'ith sorne liq.id vehicre ilncl raicl on a dry uo"fu.ul'" 'llhe grounchvor.l< at Ajnnta-

Like ihe so-callecl ..frescoes,'at Aianta,those of Sigiriya are sttir:tly ltct,i,ttt.irtgss in ternpu.cr,, that is, the pigment* .luu1'*u.u

(cEyLoN). [vol,. XV.

go. dit.-^1897.] ARcH-dor,ocrcar, suRvlxy.

lrLirrti,r,:s
c,

sicrRryA. lli

rritlr in the Ajanta caYes rviil fail to ,rrri,.ce,I tbat rt'rtists tt'cr,itted, irt tlte srt,te sclLtol,.i./' not 5s t/tc t'/:t'ii *rr,ttte h,rt,nds, nzttst /r..n.te erer:utetl bat/t, hrcl,iQtt cnttl Qetll1t;, 1':t'osr:o*. 'I'he evidence to be drarv' fl,om dr.ess ancl orlri:litiirijl., iro less thau from the r,ruaint,(tricks,, of pose ancl cr.J.rti,inE commou to both alike, for cliffcr:eni,iatiog "r.n ti'd co'nl,rlexion and lepresenting expression, is irresistible. |,{1," {;r,i lliths' r.emarks on the Aianta frescoes apPly equaily
those found to thr: Fiiqili-1'a

the a,id of the most skillecl Sighalese

At sigiriya-anil to support my examination I cailed in 6,

sil,iycu"zt,' (pairrierj

painiings' IJe says :-

it rvith a tror,r'el" Only three pigments rvere used, yel,llru1 red,,, and. green,l though blacltseens to have been given atrialas backgrouncl to one figure, No. 14 , B.' 'lhe pa,rticul:rr shacles of ihese colours preclominzrting tire piiintings may best be realizecl frorn the moclern corresponcling meclia emplo;rs1l by Mr. Perera in copying them, viz., chrome yellorv, yellow ochre, rarv sienna, bui.nt sienna, raw umber,, light red, Ind.ian red, sap green, ter.ra, vert, lamp black, ancl flzr,ke rvhite. 'Ihe entire omission of blue is very remarlrable, and cliilicult to account for, as this colour enters freely into the sister printings at AjarLta. No ono rvho chooses to carefully cornpare ihe Sigiriya
over

frorn Nilagama, in the Matal6 District, tt e viltage upori which has devolveil for centuries the hereditary ,,s."oii.,i of renewitrg the paintiugs of the ancient cave vihAr6s of Dambulla-an irnalysis of ihe pl:r,ster shorved a ground.,vork of tempered. earth ancl kaolin of a redclisir brorvn hue anil $ in. in thickness, coateil *,ith at least trvo layers of rvhite chunarn, * to i in. thick. The clay base. strengthened by the admixture of ,, dcr,/iyd,ucl,,, or paclcty husk, and. perhaps shreds of cocoa,nut fibre, was firsi put on by hanil, the chunarn coating being (as at the present clay) smoothed

The;ri'l,ists who pei'ted them nere giants in execution. E.r.en on the verii'ri sicles of the"warls, sorne of the lines .rvlrich were drawn with one s$.ucp .i. the brush str_uck me as being ve.y r.o'derfui ; but rvhen I sirrv iorq, r-l.licate curves dra*n lvithoui faltering-with

fell inr,: irs proper place.,::

tLan nrii,;icrrlous. One of the students wiren hoisterf tr.aci'g hr's first- p;rnel on tlre ceiling, rraturallyi.emarkecl "p oi, tfr" th.t sc.r,; .11 tbe wo'k looked rikc crrilc|s rvor.ri, tiiiie ihi'king iha; n'hat sr:,,r,r.11 to up there rough and me,rni,gless, hacl been laid in by'curr,;ii,g ha.cl, so i,ha-t when seen ir,t its righ-t.istance 'irn
scaffolili,,r:-.

i,1ro horizortirl surface of n ceiling .where the -difficurr:y "quut oi _ exccntir,.; ir incre,sed a thousandfold, it appeared to me nothing lcss

upo,

pr""iJon

"o"ry

tno"h

Mr. {'lrifllths continues

:_

The r:'rrrrlition of rnind in 'which these paint,ings were oliginatecl and excctltqli ;irnst have been very similar io itrai u,hich piotiucecl the e.rlT ltrilir;,r p.,i'ti,gs of the fourteenth cent,ry, as *,c fintl tnuch that ls tu c()irir\.'. i,ittle aiienii.' pn,id

to the

science

l-*:t|,t.,, renrlering ol ii srory riran to a berLuiifui , ""a""i"g ,1", discarded" beautn but they di,i 1e6 make it thi .1r., "i,,j,,.. ;r'lits ot feptesentation. There is a n'anr of reria,l per!r!'| Lr\' Lrrl. ;no-;]-j I,ilris lre delicately shacleil, not forceti bv lighi ilnd 'fl,,1,,c*r_,1 sllirdo.

of art*r,egaril harl

n"i:

.t,1.,],," .,.

Occor;,1 r,,rr

i;

,,,1 r:lre l-hole a look of

quailiy ,l"rir",1 irr mur.al

- f " I trieci in vain lot. t,it., p. 210).

" In,d. Attt.,

r'o1.

II.,

1878. p. 153.

to detect pfrcLrn on the Sigiri fresooe.q " (Rhys Davids

' , i.ri{lering of hair:one of tJre rnost riifficult t}rings ,,'; r irrcr. of .ri.t "_plaise fuiJS bolne out in the Oe._r Ion ;,.":'l: rresc{'|o I ' sisir.i)'a. A f.r,ther rnarkecl fe*ture of th.se aI ci a", r'.;rlrlrlrqb is the preclilection fot, tltt.t tlu'ei!-qrtttrler -t,,,)'*' rlrut.rLcteristic "'---;r, that alone separates the level of art
,"'111^,,

ihvells on the aclmirable dlawing "Elserr'iiei.e rnd limbs, of orna,ment trntl ciress, and specialJy of l1,l:::'

llr. Griffiths

116

JoTrRNArr, R.A.s.

(cnyr,oN). fVor,. XV.

three are in

displayecl. toto coclo,from tlte weak eonventiorrel <c^,,, ettes " of present-clay Sinhalese artists. Of th; ;;"**i:: --r-uwo faces left in "pockets)' ( !\' drru.B, at rJtg?r?'7ctlc' and r) it"t" ^, only

profile.

at Ajanta
head

one essential particular do the figures of the Sioi-;*frescoes differ from the generality of those in the

fn

not unnatura,l, unmistakably convey the meaning the ariist

intended.

warst by cloud effects, no doubt to economir device, by rvhich-to slightty vary than meets the eye', ; whilst the pose of the nu"a ,na toay, coupled with the action of the hanils, conventionatiseO yei

: the latter are usually shown at full f triil ".rgtf. to foot ; the Ceylon fi,or,res are all cut off ,lrirt ,i ti,

;f;;;::

Miltoni:,tj:""";"*ffi;

In some of the caves at Ajanta ., on different parts of the rralls trvo layers of painting can be distinctly traced, " ancl the painting is " of t'nvo or even three periods." Two coatings of colour are not unknown to the Sigiriya frescoes. A paich of the upper layer of chunam scaleil off the green 'ivaist-cloth of figure No. 12 in .,pocket,' ,.B t reveals an under-coating of crimson. For all we know_or can know without completely rvrecking the present frescoes_ this rnay signify nothing more than that a co_temporary artist was given a free hand to bring the laclies' dresses up to the (( la,test Court fashions,,t or, pelchance for some. peccadillo, to put the fair penitent (as in the case of the second figure in (. pocket " (A' litgrally) und.er a cloud. The frescoes still to be seen on the.western face of Sigiri:, galo (casual patches of colouring exceptect) are found only in the two rock chambers or .,pockets" (,A,' , B') 15 yards above the ,( gallery " floor at its south end. They consist of twenty-two half-figur.e portraits-one and all female. Of these, five are in ,(pocket " , A,' seventeen in thg larger chamber . B.' All have suffered more or IesE nesting swallows and the clay-building mason bee, terribly.

to the proportionate wall_spaco available. The scene intended to be pourtrayed. would seem to be a Ttrocessirtn o/ the qweens and, princesses of Kdsyapa,s court,
gence due

sicrRryA. 11? that there once existed three rows of such [sf-figures in '( pocket " , A , and four in , 8,, painted^on,rl.u.o.n walls and projeciing roof. Highest up in the first line r:emain the single hand (No. li ana a very lvorn pair of figures (Nos.15, 16) ; of the second row only faint traces here ancl there ; to the third line belong ,A,' and Nos.5,6, g, 10, frescoes Nos.3 and 4 of f1, fZ, ani , B'; whilst the fourth, or lowest, rolv is made up of L4 of. -, , Nos. 1, 2, and 5 of A,' and. Nos. I, Z, B, 4, 7 , g, ancl 18 of 8., (,pocket" 6 B' The figures in are above life-size: those ,A ' smaller than the ordinary human form_a diverof
Jt is almost certain

eacu,norroercArr suRvny, No. 48.-1897.]

vihAr6 ar, Pidurri-gata,

alien race. latter (Nos.4, of 'B') are given a greenish complexion_a ,.badge of servitude', rvhich clearly
8, 11

favoured throughout: usually qo""r or-princess followed b1. a lady-in-waiiing of the same, or kindrecl, blood, or by a dark-sl<inned maidservant of .lhe

clirection, and the florvers held in their hand.s by the ladies, antl carriecl after them by servant_maids, can hardly bear any other signification. Grouping in pairs

sigiriya. The figures are manifestly alr moving in that

with their attendants, on the rvay to worship at the Budcthisi the hill lying about a mile north of

is chiefly

,l**" *o*uo rqany

frequently at Ajauta. l\{urray noted correctly ,,that the maid in each case _"iT, covered with a jacket similar ro rhar rnorn by i;;;]:1.,::r"m
at the present
had,

reproducetl

or orange-hued ,'brunettes "_all three coloured

f,ign_ born dames, their misiresses, Svhether pale_yellow ,,blond.es ,,

marks them off trom the

types

are uude to the waist i,_au assertion

d,

day.',

Of the ladies, he declare.s

for which, it

ltrim fac.ie, in my Report for last year_ .-A close examination confirms the counter_supposition (hig.hly i.',:,t^lbl- otr oLher grounds) from the lo.oo*u- ir,nt onl of Orieutal ""qrpto. and paintir lor utt"u-diaphanous "lik; l;^;y;""';;;
-ilTlJ:".illlll",1,.0. 'vsvsr': I pointed out

goo d.grounds. As,

118

JOtrliN:\L, R.A.S.

(c.!tyLoN).

[v<tr,.

garmcuts-r " stllngo uonceii " rvhit:h artwor.ks of tnurent rv,|(,,r i(rrnor.KSot TnJiu ohl,ly ii;_;;;;.,,

xv

The Ajanta paintings abound in fernalc forms rppar.n+r-((clothdil on rvith chastity " alone, bnt each t"
olcl Chaucer.'s Yenus, ,, koverdcl wel r'

.-

"".i,U, ilil

,rrlr'orirl-i-'-r-'s

i,lo.,ll._-1.!l)7.] eri,cn,ao_Locrcal, sLrHYlr\_, slcrRrlrA. 1lg Thc f,.ype of features is Aryan-oval face, thick fle.*hl, lips, b.t silaight, almost Grecian nose ilnc1 forehearl. fire

" of No' 1 'B'

betor<en

Ryght with rr, subtii keverchefe of valence There wts no ihicker cioih of clefence.

from the rv.isl dorvnwarcls, ancl abo'e, in shori jacket of finest materiar.*'(a *'ondr.ouswork of sleeved ihin transparent lawn," so thin, indeed, ihat ihe painter has (as with figure No. 12) occasionaii-r contented himself by inrlicating it only by tr. touch of orange colour at the neck. Whatever opinion be heid as to scarcity of clothing,there can be but one regarding the reclundancy of ornament affccred eqnnll; b;' qrrecn or, ser.virrg-\yoman. Coronets, tiaras, aigrettes crown. the head ; flowers ancl ribbons adorn the hair ; rvhilst eaLS, neck, breast, arms, ancl rvrists are loadeil rviih a plethora, of the heaviest ornaments and jeivelled gaucls. Some of the golcl necklaces are exceeclingly chaste, ancl the emeralcls anil rubies worn so ,, rich and rare " that en,ch, if real, rvoulcl be rvorth a, king's ransom. 'lhe ligures in tt pocket " . A ' ma1 lave no connection rvith those of the larger cave, thoug.h both seem to reprosent the same scene painted by trvo different ariists ; for the rendering is lis commonplace in the former as in the lattor it is natural and spiriiecl. The paintings appear to Jiave been first ontl;ined ,in wi'lh recJ or bktclt .--perhaps by an artist d iffer.ent f rom the finisher of the pictures. Be this as it may, it is celtain that the seconal worker clicl not slavishly llollorv the original outlines-.incleecl, the alterecl lefi hrnil of figurc No. 8 , B ' shorvs that at times he 1.secl bis ot'n discretion boldi;..f
ltatt'tbrt,yct,
curves

Ever5 qlueen, princess, or court i:lcly depictecl in the sigiri-r.u frescoes is in realiiy modestl-v cloihecl ir, * .oroo.ui

jtt,cl,ce, unmistakably as an ind,'uichrctl stamp it, tinrnrrr-. so skiif.rr'i'truth has the portrait painter *,orketr ihat ii, appea.r$ ,lrr,rssibie not merely to gauge approximately each lacll's l,i;r-. but even, in great deglee, ,,to constr"rli,li0n

I havr stl.Jed these pairitings (,portraits,,, anil, I venture io ilri*h, rvith'eason. unabre to cast himserf roose from all corrvr:r:lion:rlism, particularl;' in ihe stiff clisposiiio' of arnrs a,nt'i ht'cls. the artist-he, I mean, rvho exec.tecl the ,'pocket" g'*hns imb'ed paintings in ' each fig're with certaili delicaie traits in face, form, pose, ancl clress, r'hich ,nte

llongoiir:rr l-rlood'

a slight tinge of

in the f:rce."

find the mincl,s

Thr.,r.te ii,{nres ar.e no replicas of a flat, stereotl,-pecl image, ('muir: ii clures on a stuccoecl r,vall "_deEeneraie art that rvearie. i?re eye zr,t rnany a modeln Builcthist temple in Ceyloir' l-Icre the.v Iive, they move, t]rey have a being ; all is institlrl' ';yiih life and spirit.

llnll l'.',,s, el'es tbe {,ver,vpink;';;;';,to'brerr ctiarms. "o,r..toou"u* r! trel' ' rii of perfection,,, she essays to 1r:i1',,',i,i ..the Elass of f:r,shion and the moulcl "ob*uror.,,.r.,. of for.m, the o L .*,.,, ,., i ,,1, trll
Follr:r,ilg, lier rlemurely at sorne clisiance is a seconcl prin_ i). perhaps the sraici elcler sister.trccompaniecl bra llj"l.lal. rrt r,f '.qr^., iir,, 11nafl1.1ctive mien, carr.ying a rolled ota look. Neri..,,irLe trvo rnor .. court attenclants (\Tcs. 5, 6,\, rlanitesft_- r.. ,, , . :1,r.:ltlr1tr{ I m.atronl; queen (I*o. Z) to hasien her st;'l;'

(No.l rvho has purposely taken jrti:,1:T:'.,1' tJre procession with her lacli--in-lvating (No. 2). rultr r i,:, hr,tt1 srucily tossed b:rck sur.ell. beirays, plainer
_

l\IirrL if u,i tair"princess

,B,)

lu'

f !Ir. }lurra"v hrs been nt,is/t:d, by iLit'ift-iittot.

as

"

C.

A.

S,

Journal. r.ol. II\r.. No.

-tr7,

lSl){i, p. 2i{i.

been adcled,

first put in. and varied. inlo ihe assertion that to the hands " in ahnost evcry case, an exlra finger.,,

departure from, the

have

lu,, lr is ;r,driliraLly touch*tire delibelate .but1 she hojcls in her hA:;'trrrr" " l,eial b). petal" of a lotus -o1ltlS.

ba,l,,.i , uno^,.,';

'

'

,1 ,lt]t1i:t5s'11ollessexpressive Jr.r a sliglrt, but

of tlie InIrI

120

JouRNAr,, R.A.s.

(cEyi,oN).

"t eighteen years (No. l2), rvho may rvell be Kd,syapa,s Auognt* Excellently has the artist caught the young girl's_
Embarrasseil look of shy distress,

Or observe ihe impulsive eagerness of No. g, another ladvin-rvaiting, chafing at the detay and appealing to the ^,]]rimmediatety following (No.10), rrho with righi hand ,rl;;il, gently checks her impetuosity. Succeeding No. 10, attend.ed like Nos. B and Z bv n oo-* maid bearing a iray of flowers, is a princess ;.";."t::

[Vor,. XV.

NO. iij.,-1ij97.1 lrncur]ICrLOGTC.tt sURVEy, SiGIRryA.

121

And maidenly shamefacedness

on the occasion of this-not inprobably her initiation a-public Court procession.

into

from whose rvell-chiselled face., Decay's effacing fingers,; have still not (.swept the lines .where beauty lingers." Last of all, calm and seclate, walks the queen mother (No' 14) absorbecl in silent mecritation. can we d.oubt ihat that fixed gaze,and dreamy look sadly speak to (.thoughts too deep for tears'.'-a royal husband slain at Kald,_vewa a ; son, his slayer, ruling, but not reigning, at Sigiriya ; to q,, '(past" no longer .. sighed for, and a future sure." Finally, contrast the peaceful serenity of this quee dowager with the .( crabbed age " of the well-nigh repulsive beldame (No. 5) of ,. pocket ,, , A-r, or the vivacity expression of figure No. 9 , B' with ihe stolict blankness the faces of the dark-huecl serving maid.s, or slaves (Nos.
8.

The figure behind is perhaps her mother, the queen consort,

11)-

of therle

Islir,nd-ihe stor,.v of the migration to, anil conversion of, ceylo' i'o*1c1 be the comrron properiy of alt Buddhisrswhcltlroi: of the 'ol'the'' (xt\,/tti41cltLa) or southern (Hinct. ua,rtrr,) schools, and certain to {iricl a place, rvith other BuiltlJristic iegerrcls, on the rva]ls of theAjanta caves. 0* 1,1;r,r ,Lhe'hancl, there is the stubborn fact that nowhere elsc in ihvlou have sirnilar fle,'icoes, or other.parrriings rising to so .liig.ir a standarcl of a,lt, been yet cliscoverecl. There is rotlii's io er*rar them in the fra,gments refr o'the altars of ['hc '!Lr r,'ic11rapu.a D[g^bas-on thervar]s of the so-ca,lierl "I)erirri,lir,-iulhri-seya " at polonrr.[ru$/a_or in the couniless caves ci. rl:c nor.thern par,t at letrst of the Islancl. The best paiirtinq lrt llarnbuila vihd16, b:rreiy 12 rniles from Sigiriya_ a shlirre llirrnettr for centuries before Sigiro_gctkt rvas occupiecl as tl i'rj'n'l cit,crer._is not on il, par with the leirst successful .[i.egcoes.

props,both unreJiable : first, the casual mentionof oil painiing i'colueciicttr r-"ith the building anil decoratio' or RLrwano.li 1)iigab;r by liing Dutugernunu about liO e.c.; ancl secondly, tho cOculr,ence of one or tr,vo frescoes among ihe Ajanta prill,irigs stpposed to relate to Ceylol. oonrrl irvirlerrce be rnore slender ? Even if rloe rrr.thd, Luft,4s& t"(.i(ol-d be heicl unimpeachable, rvhat rvas there to preveirt l-{irig DutugernLl'' fr:om securing his artists from i,he corrtilrent ? ;lnt[ as io the fanciecl vijayzin ancl ot]rer frescoes--if, i'cleeil, the scenes be accuratery alrocated to this

All
One worcl

So coldly sweet, so dcadly fair, trace of soal is wanting there.

in conclusion. Wo were the awthors of ? W'ere they executed by Sip " sitiyarw," or by foreign artists brought over" from
wn'ique Tsaintings continent of India ? For m; self, I make no doubt that thev are the of eroti,c talent specially imporied by King Kd,syapa for single objeci of adorning his incomparable citadel. The case for the Sighalese rests, I believe, on but t

closer lli icrst.f-L.ee anrl not the i'ult, of tr{irtii

rvith Buclcihist Inctia hait for some tengur of o,,ll]*:l:""rue lrruc lrr'rur tr, the lridclle of tho fifth centtry been, if not

irr Ceyton. Anct it rvas to Inclia that r'esolte,l for the a,nny rvhich finallg capturecl ht_ l;.,:,;lll:, rrr.urrIlroJ,l at Sigir.il l-1. ,.,l,,gcst ooI of all ^,,.;',',,,,.,; lit : no traclitiorr exists that ihe ,f,,u.,'l " rvhu executecl the frescces rvere SiT.htilese oo,.'"_',"' ll*as ; 'ttitg: r[c rr-rct]rcitls rvheroby these pirintings have l{r_.i;?

It,;;,::::

l,]11;- ..r'usilliitetl

slighi. Nine reigns earlier, during Meghaval"ga, an Indian prince and tre,l bi.ought over the l)ctlctclci,or.looth_relic, to be Sri

122

JOU.IIXAL. n,.A.S. (tlIijYLON),

[I.or,. {\r.

)i'1r. I ii.--1

i,{1.}7.-]

r,1i(tr{lulilJ lt{{l s. ooutr,*ii: Lclrvocrr

t1)

preselvccl lheir hucr, ilespiie tltc l'eraihering. oii i,400 years antl uprva.rc1.s, rvith a, fi.eshnciiit nritl irrilliancv that 'is simply mai'vcllcius.

ri,:'- i;;l,l irrcii lor,;cri lir lrinlsclil l:",,iltc

ljrlr

rr.ha1, iri,;;rr'(i11)rltironrrini:i,rr*.rrjlsii,",,,i,;,r, i,r-r:l.rl;t.ir:h"astr.ell

1,r' i:irLr

tl.t riilpllrr.r:tl. .rirtl

ali of ltermaneirth. ., iixing,,ctlllnrir rvlg cver incli_ genorrr t. {le-r-lon. ir is }larclli rersorrrrrle tr, lrelieve that it n,oukI havc tliei] ,rni, conp1cf erl.,, . itr r;he Hnst 1t,ri.rrier"s, g,ril,ls
tho.

If

,r1r .,,. ,,'

:, ii,i)sc lli,.rlr]hisr, ;;,,.11";;:l:j|j;l:

ii1'e zrrnl)llg i;he t,1r'[cst met]roii;r of |,rairrting. be,.ing jcaloush_

j
'&

i;;, i::*" i

figu'os riritl illusr.atiorrs

;i,' :i::l::l:"',,i' l ib ..''r," toruplcs__if ,'.,.r

1

rL,.Ll u".,,,.,,rt".1-t i111, gi- t,[e 1,

i,r,c,c,rl,,l:rv.

"u,,l,l'L"';,rii;-:'r:";i:r; il rig;.pt) Lire sr;ereotypect

,'c'q;ii'rJr :rccess
iiir.r:1i,:1rn1",,,

witlr rigi{ coirscrvatlsm"

gunlcled irncl hanclcrl ilor.rn f r.int gclreratlon i,t generation

l['he lrii]ag;li_nri,r ;;itit11s1.,1r,, rvho closei,r' extrminei]. ;,hern rnaile l. sccrr-'t oJi r,rre faci that the best mocle'n rvork exposerl to rvirrd and s*n. rs i*e the Sigili-va, lirescoes, rvoulcl not lll,st tl'ont)-

to : riiiii;.lre. alsr; ilrci,.,louttill.y. lrerriio;:oL1 rirl.r, !0,{)00 Dclrsoltrj at lclsi; iilrt:ii,r,i illit 1,{)p c'lur.itig ilie pllil i:h1ec,,.,,,ru,ro_nu-ia;;; ;..._;ii
iillL: illL: r .. .., :, i !.., Itr,lr:.rrll:rLi:r,1 i'rLl rg-i.--li;.1;, l.,.ltil;it ]Jr.. 13,,,lt',, n,,,r,"--.nlili-;;;, irit':ri:li'r'i 'lilltip'o .eu.r..tisf;ro'r,r'ii:)', lr,ri irir:iLHr. Jlerl rvo'rti ;; rla,rc ]l1i]llI r,!1rjI i:':t1tcl.s {)ri itiloL':rsi-: til r.ti:,tl 1,0 iltc)]ri. 'l'j,,;-t lr;ril to f hir;rir I_[is _l,jlcctlolr v t.lrl tite Lloverumcrrt for. riri: :1,,, i:':r1,e': ro Lre leail l'lcf11r_o i]ae li,cyti Asitiirc t,ocioty. pcrnritIit' r""riti r(il\r ..r()\'o tiriit' L\f,r. llcli reoeivc :r vei.v hclrLv vote of
1;,-t i

to lhc summit, ITr.. rlorl knerv of n0 moLe irrln *li told, t'Lo ]rr11 ciirrlreti the lt,rok pr:evious a

. ...r,, i,1i,,,, ,,,.r'ir1 ltiriro !!,,!r,r- iltcir:t ll;;ii,, ,ir !,rr

tr' rI,,. ,;,a..,1,- i' rr,t..:1. rir !rr1r rilu:.11ii 1ri. ilS{iatil"

.,rir!.0ii.iilll! .jt(ji,c:i.itill1t, .lLO{iiti.:tg.atnetri.. .llo{iiti.:tg.atnetrt.

here still s'rvives lllr imlre'ishable rno'urnent of antiq'itr'--p*inting clating baclc rvell-nieh ri millerriurn ancl
a,

'Yet

'),ears.

hal1'. Quorl noniurber udax, Jror ariuil,J irnpotens llossit cliruere, airt irnr_rmo:lr hilir \ ltttot ,tnr r,.rip,,

l.irttt

r1;r;ls1

i1

r,, 1,

rr,ul,gentleman Ii'ose't lo rrr:r,ke Int ]rrlrlilr.i{s, or'rr,iil< :rI-r' qlirsriors, rrhicjr he ilray bhink dcsirablc i, nrlke lr lr.sii, iu (r:,Llel'-;o elrtcrilntt;. ji rrr:rtessl',l,. the verv able iinc'l lucicl iecturc r,r.e hille iusl ircrri'd.

.1.

,,,;,

i;

FIrs trtlrllr,i,r,t:.ilr, 1'ruIi Cloyul,t.:r.t:

I ncn inr.itc

-lrri

Aftcr

a pirusc*F-r:nrlr;sor.t sl,id

r,,.ho rr:rs to hnyo t:rlten chr.r,r'g'e of the r.csoiution. the clLLtl' of proposinq ir, curiliai lotc oli bhunlts

5. llr. 'I.

thc ::.hsetce 11 tirr Aclirig Ohief .fustice, hlltl etrlailetl on him

interesiing nrrl insilir,rtive trttpr:r,

to Mr'. Bell fol

his

thern in {)olonbo, rerrlized his (,litr" I}o11's) seif-clonial. rvhen in the coul'se r)f duty. r."nd il lris r:n.ihiurillrr f,l: ai:.ctrrcoltrgy, he hu,tl got
tianisherl to r\nunhdLliini'a. I{is Liilruur.s i,hele. vr:a,r ltltr,:r' lenr., under br-rt hali'-iie,lr'Lcrl orrcoiilir!-1einetri,, lr.L,.r'c l<itlxrr lc ihem all. i:lortunately, greaier itrlerr.'st lti;d olrc,tlilqc'rreni lrarl Jxtli, rnlnifc.st,,ri trntler His

Olt.l lesittcnts. lij<e iri.nself . rvho recejleii l,Tr. ilell'n ])r,es.tnce a.mongst

lir. :l: :1,:.fru ol 1,1;e {si,rrrr1. T}ul ii,is mucir trc ."i1,1 ,,,,; 'l:i.,:.,;ll ;i,, , . rirlrrirrurL i:r., ti.irs very .iillnkllul io }tr.. Ljcll for ^t,li]iy bcltring io i.ir. 1rr{i-ieut hi.sto.r..ri1 *,e :fl:,ll; "o,,ut,1.-;-,,,rA ,*ri<drii t. r,irr: ",11f .,,1,, l,Jcltttre olpoltrinitvof doirrgso. .l'1 li;l.t,llrforgivirrgffr. r_ ,: tliio if :u:xyufr,d bc orpresscd sltisfacrtior,"ui, ii,oso-fi,,,, , , ":. trl t r,irc.copics Lrccn.clolebvn Bi3iraleseartist,but ,i I, 1,. "; . :..,,11tf,rirlnrr)lt. :i,. rr ,rr\ hl,rl bectr paiuted b;, Sipii.rleseth"rrrs"i""o. ;,,, ,,:,, rlJ,l. rrlrcn [fr. IJeii's .n,or.]< at SigirlJ.a fir"st c;rme i,,":,,, i , !..'\rt.\\iirl,iu ,,,f :... ve'l'recl t, ;;;..:. , ,li:.;_,.l1" ilr;Lr S..ici.y, lre (i'.. Fcr'and,f these 'rxl ;;;;_, , -',r1 1;rlt rvoul,l hlr.e flescoes l\.ele ilLa\r_r.r, uot by ,,exotic,, i,hern unrlerstu.lcl*_but by Sighalesc ;.;;:,.
;li, "i,:::li

rrii;r,rl r:; Liior" srrcidell-y" he lvlrs o.o.y i,lr,,l, i" !r,ir.b ]rul, rbie to sli, r.r.ish airout ]teil,-.,r.",:r ,rtir,-ll,:,,,.r"i"

it,::l'l,iil'i;';]iii"li: lll.::,:li:ffi,;lii_::Tlll:?::J:::;',ii

t:

Excelloncv's

r iir7i,r, c.

Dl':rltllrtrtnil n. lI r'. l'r't et ;r IIe irirs uot prtrliiilotl 1o iirrl l'!,r.

frescoes u,ere

Now I{r. Bcli lr;L.l come to tr:l} ihcrn ,;f $isilii.a. No rr-hosc exploration lrc hail gilen porl,ions oii l,ho p;',st tirree I'clLi's : :md, to u,id in bringing- hlfnio io them thc r,,,r,r"cls c.f tlrrt triock Jrrrtress^ was cxlribitirg^ l lnillirrnt displny of prinbilgr. so l,ol1 e,.:ccuted by his
tle11 so

tlio rr/or'l< of [nr'lilu r';tl;hr,r' ih:ln -(irrlrrrl,r.e ;rltisis I but

iilmly rlecllr irrq

rhe Sigiril'a

' :lr r'' lrr'l 'ct';'slcll(lit trr;trcr'iiti to suli.r'rr,ti'rit.r'l.ri lt',r'': ;ttlter]1is s'elc tl','o coli.s of f'escoes ar Ajanta. ',,,i' .,, ,.,.'.,,,,.,1 .l , .:: histciry of Ceyiol. One, of ihern cleiicied tf ,_ ;1, ,..,.,'._ .,,, ,,"tr. ,rf ll'._ Iiurlilhisin iuto Cr:;,lol by Jlfahindu. i,.- ., . .',tt'r"'i ^{lroi;her i ,, rrrulrrdr!,rll,g of iirc, 'I,ooth_relic into the lsJ;r,rrr,i. ,l,lte i, ; . ^\ ,-i,- i,,,,',,','';,1.::s. l\tr.lltll h;rd saiti, c,losel;,r.esernbiccl tlf.!figulesthel urj 1,,,,;:'l 1,,," lJr'. fl1g1g1br.^ hlzalcletl thc suggcstion ilut it iv.rs I rilirsis,\rilo ciine to OeyJon anc[ paintecl I ,,, tlose flescoes, Si, ,'. !i t.,. 'i l, ,'.,1 ..'.irl'rtsL\ \1 ir,, we115 o'ct. i' I\rlitu lltrti,,tittt:r.). IIis jixcel, '\rr"\' Irr:-..: ir,,rii ijr;,t r\ir:. firlrrol.,r l,,,t,l ri,".,l t,,,.ir.\o'ir__ ,,,irlr rtJi(
,,,'l,],.

124

.rouRNAL, R.A.s. (CUYLON).

[Yor,.

111'

No. :18.- 1897.

PtioctttJDlN{;sii,"'"^^ll._:.1"",'.t:,u tire fcelitrgs .f tLese

'

beerr said that evening. I{e was not ar-are of :lny frescoes in India rvhic}r rvere of the same class of painting, except the frescoes at ,{ja'ta ; and until Intiiacould esttr,blish sorne other precedert, he i;housht ]re could olaim the credit

himself to formuiate ai a Meeti'g of that Sociery ; but he diil not think that his position had becn shakcn at ail by anything that had

I
I I

)r,

i;rtr'rrrate acquaintancc
I'ear.:r l'.each o* t

As your official chief I. was rather

shocl<cci ror fc;

i;r,c;. rve,.e tho" rji;rrrkrof thi. s6";p1r.,

;;;i;

".;;, "u*,"1"o i,')),,li.,t,)

.,,:1.'1.r,o,,",r

l.di"-,-;;;;;";,iri;; ,,".o"'.:;;;;,,ii""iii

ntoment :ri

yoLu.

,tir,,'ri,,,',,,'-r,',").^'.'^1.'.1

')

1tr,'otrr,'.r'.irrg t.,r,,rr rlr"

for the Sinhalese themselves. Apart from that fact, he hacl the authoritv of sir Emersorr Ten.ent f.r asse'ting that the earliest historical mention of oil painiing was in lIrc ,llttltiLtr;uttstr,. Telnent mentionecl tirai the Warrior King built the Ruu.anvcli Digaba, and had frescoes painted on it in oil inixed with vermilion paint. The rerlai*s of those fresc.es wer:e stiil to bc see' ab the Rurvanveli
Digaba, which'was built some two thousarril veai.s ago.

t ,;;,1'::i,ll: lll
ll"\Ic\('l'.
ir,,,,:irr,..

crrrhuri;rsljc,,.'ij.il."l:;jt:lllll-. u: ,: u'nr ,.n:,,.4"j1'.'''i:,;,1 ..

J htrc rro ,1,

i:i ,,f"'.,il;ll::1,::l :;;;,'iT,;i;l';:,ii;,,';:[;l;l] rr\'r ;'rru l'ecetrcd llreif r1

i[r1,]

l'rrtp

11," trrrmmcls,,1.

,.,rr',,.,.. irr i.he prest,rrc" ,,r,,

'|'-{'i,t" r.un} ,',l,l,,rii,.ir}.,lnll:i.

,]l:':'l usrr;rll;

r""ia( rr rr('n;j5 Ijeelr io l'r'cilk r$.;r\

.stttt'ottrtrl
,;,1,:i.,

i"';, ;;;i
l"]i
:,j

1n,i,iri;,,;;. JIr''i,1;-"j,il,';.ll ;,1:

monuments of engineering they saw in the grcat tariks and ruins in many parts of the Island, ancl tliat they were ali built by Tamil, or t( exotic," engineers I because they had not the sarne Sir rhalesc engineers uo'wada,ys whci could construct things in tire same style. FIe asserted that the art of oil painting rvas kno.wn to the Si4halese, anil that everr to this day a.r oil was extractetl i' ccrtairr paris of the Isl.r.ncl which was used for painting. The extracLion of the oil .lvas done in a very primitive fashiorr, but the iicluid as uscd made a very goocl colour. He trusted that some day speculative gentlemen x.oulcl make use of the oil, or possibly that the Ceylotz ()bserucr woulc,l take it up (Iuughte,r). In conclusion, he expressed his great thanks to l\[r. tr3cll, and hoped that the good rvork he hacl begun wouid bc continueci; and that in course of time, when he werrt to unlookecl-for plilces, he rvould fincl still further frescoes rvhich tvould release hinr fr.om the impression under which he was labouring in regarcl to the inarListic cha,racter of the ancient Si4halese as regards paintirrg..l3 He ]racl much pleasure .irr seconding the rnotiorr.

only forgotten, not los,f, in Ceylon. At least, the method of pninting in oils rvas there, altho'gh the skill in the art rvas lost. If it u'as arguecl that the printings of ihe present day were not of the class of those they srrv exhibitecl to-night, it might be said in the same \\ray that the Si4haiese dict not build those

The use of oil painting

.ri.as

;l:l:;:,: , ,J,il:,1i,;11;il;:l'l: "',i'i'"i, 'i11,,",1.,,, ,,,,,. .cc,5iop"1i, , i r, r,, agni n, ; ;';;:; ij.::"l "li,,i, rl'"*"],1;" ::;

ii::;)17::,";:;;i,i,!:;
.lt"t1'.f
"

he lras thc

;;;';""*i,;,hy .f
;
r,ur orr]v

;i]:i;;lli:'

;i;;;;,,;:

rvil[,rrot

,, .rr",nr,",",'",lJ'J
I

wl i, r, iu. i.;;' ;". i,' ' jll"lo iT,, iij,:: rn trlriclr '\lr" Beil irrrs:1,;',,i1",Jff i, ;:;, [1p11;,o6 ];;."';; u r,,,.. i,,t.1..:;'l;;i;.);l{ I ilrirrl< ihjs sc,cir,tv i, ," Tl"tdiil\o Li'orr vcr; J'y,",;.'i';r;;r,i:.j.
l','ii,i, l

-pu'su'| i]rc st'rirr

i'i: :: : :l ; Jil
;

't- ir

ro

c \\.,s cr,.jeL[,, iih

f ; i l: l"n;;i j;;;"r
i

"'d:i:.n::iill,::,,',,:,r

upon h:rrirrg ,.L'.,1,,,1,i,1.

jJ
ir

j';fi., : : t., :; "il :.: i

;:;;;.;r;l'i.,l,iui;,,

tlrerr r,,sc lrrd s;ri,l :._f ilris laie huur vcrv i,r.ietl.y d fallstome at io S;,.; rrrir,rs of us.Lll, ilrc a.";,-',^1,]"',,; i,lll^'::'"",.t,r tlrar rvhich is irr rhc "r,,;;..i;; i:'

X. TitU BtStt,rt, ot. (,,r1.6.11g1y.

.ilmpir.ny

7. Hrs ExcrlluNcy 'lgrr Go\'IinNolr, before putting i]re motion, :-My lord, lailies, and gentlemen : I norv inr.ite you by hearty ucclamation to pass the .l'ote of thanks to l,{r. Ilell which has been proposed antl seconiled. Mr. Ferguson tucl llr. Fcrna,ndo have cvidently interpleted the feelings of this aucliencc tvith the stlme accuracy ari.l sympathy as l{r. Be}I has the " maiilen meciitation " of the beautiful young ladies on the frescoes (l.u.ttgltLu). [To ]Ir. Bell:*
saicl

jha' .,sual to ts noI r)n[y LIre trr,.urrs , orr. lrn""ti,'j_."iri il"li,,ll,-1r-r*:t:l,c a rarger uvrdence of tlie interesi ihat ciings rourrd this rp."iut goin.-,Lt"" '"
lrt,csoncC

,;Tifu*: i'.'ft ft #;,:qi.1i:,.l i:t :;'T'f1'Jii;j.,';#rifu ; 'r'ocic rv /,. i,," n,, " \i': illl]l: ;ii :l;;:,:;':l I Hl :,i; ::l lil; i.r', 1 tlraL )-urtr
1

/,

l'resence to-day is ir r "' ;;i;;,,;;;;i T'lnJ't*I',,l: ')uL irtso ru slrury yorrr rpprot,liiorr li::,ill"il; in1fi:,:il sh:rll rroL Jre.irai,, ol hi;,.;;;; I i,",,,1- iu'i,Jr.,,r" ,o yuu. Sir, l: ,;jlJ,
J1'orrt measure,

arn vely glad

r',(,u

to thi oo; -"..?-k

,f1|-

lJxuellu.u.]'s

Stando,rtl,

Ilott.

* Mr Fernanrlo subscquently reiterated his vicl.s in ar, letter Lo Line (I:,ylon uhicl cilled forih :r r:ep1v f:tom Mr. BelI. See .Appendix,Sttt,

",1'l;.t:,1],",j'^,,."r,:0,,,,', r'i,,i;..Jr";"L-{'t,',),',1,",',''nttt' buf fo ligtorr.c" l'yextr''rciiorr 6o tlrcRor;rl

tr;rs per.{'orrn.d rlris e\

,Ls ,r

',r,t. so-r1..11,,:,,,",1,.,',,1'oiil,,:,',,,1'i,,i,"'i,!,,',,,),,,1::,1")""._llmnfl;
1t,, ..rcl' cxtr';.lordirrar:y cornbinuti,i,rs r, i,,,i,.j'_],i*i"*. .,utr;.n ,iemrrrrtl in l,r"r;;rF ,,r,j'10," peler:r, Tt has

rr,

(,rrin:i

126 been shorvn

JoURNAL, n.A.S.

(CEYI,ONl. Ivor,. Xv.

lir t. 48.-1 8f)7.1

insrstence

APPENDIX.
127
as

the athlete, or even of the aeronaut ! r But rvhiie we all ioin in the thaul<s to Mr'. I3ell, we welcome Your Excellencyt's preserlcc i'rs an errcouiilge]Ilent t,o ourselves and tile Society. lVe ale not ah{ays foriunatr: to have at our Meetings the results of great cliscoveries, ol very brillitrrrt or highly coloureil scenes. We iabour very often in hum.ble colneisr aird in'work rvhich has its usefulness. thougir very little brilli:ucy. I"r'om time to tirne rve reatl a Paper on some s-trch subjeci as some particular bird, ibs rneitrod of mal<ing its nest, or of the w&y of lr,rcp&ring fish for stuffing, rl1 soule such practical iletails as promote the aclr,tnce of Scicnce. lVe l,.elieve i,irat ihesc things are useful I a,nti probably they :r,r'e the Iarger: part of the lvork the Socrety can clo. Tt is orilv on " field-cla;s" of this kind that tire Mcetings of the Socicriv irre griLced by a large company ; and Your llxcellency's presence is valuabie for tire enconrirgement it affcirds to us in our work. I wiil conclude by proposing to this company a verv lrearty lotc of thanks to Youl Excellency (:lteu's).

thnt they require, not only mirrute scientific knowledge and accuracy, but heloic e{torts, rv}iic}r br:loni1 I iltlrtr lo thc sphere of

gr;cir:ty.

h";; r1',etin gs, n o r as tr)at.o'. "h:?':.:

mav

I rhrnk you vc'y n,o"t.. eu" t,"ii"j*"i=l,rJi,J""","rr. we]l, and hotr,ur you have conferr".l o, *"o;;;i,rr-'J-"

.rcgarrls Archmology. If t;re covcrrrnrerrt has aclr.rl ,,f'"otf"t''"t ir ,rue ro rrre cx.rrio";t"i",;tJ d::fi;.lul,,ji.l^i. .:*lrds -a r.nr;ar,r6-y,

of this Societ.

Ihopef

iri.rt'ucrion ("t,i,"-,)"."

" "Llf

f'r the ;" ";;;:"'::-'i rir*lJ:, jl: fts:r slu,lrrrLsilting

rrt

yourfeer co

11. The irroceedinss then elcled. but manyladiesancl genilenierr li,gered srme time to Jxamine ilr" il'rr'" Perera, ancr rhe pron., ""pi"J".rif"':l a.o*i,rg;il;;r.**ruT:".- painted by

'occiv,,

APPJINiJIX.

9. lfr" P. I'nnulDNIrEnc seconded tho motion. 'trhc vote havirrg been received lvitir acclarnationlatlies, ancl getrtlerneu

i0. Itrrs Excur,r,nNcY 't'Ht, Govt';xNclt, irr repJy, said :*nlly lord, : l am extlernely obligecl to you for the cordial reocption you have given nre: to you, my lord, for the very kinil nalrlrel irr rvirich you hirve proposcd this urotiorl ; to you, ladies ancl gentlemen, for the very kind manner irr rvhich you have received it. It is ir greilt pleasure iio me to be preserrt to-night, trnd I feel ihat no thanks are clue to me, but rather tlicy are due from me, or they should be given to a more nseful officettlran the Patron-to thc President, Your
.[,ords]rip, lvho for many years ]ras kept alive the tolch of this Society (lt.eur, heur). I rm glail, holever, of this opportunity of thanking you for i,he offer to mc of i,he great honour to make me the Patron of this Society. I recognize that the positiorr is purely honorary, ir, siDecure, or else I shoulcl have hesitated much bofore I aecepted it. At a Scientific Society such as this I do riot feel at all at home, though it has my sympathies ; in fact. I feel like thc fly in amber', who won<lerecl how on carth he got thclc (lmr,ghter'). This Society has been inde pentlent of Government, ancl the Governrnent cloes ncit grudge it bhat pcsition. It i'.; n, vcry proud posilion, and I wish there were some other instituLions itt the Color'y rvhich could' iudulgc in.l sirrrilal position. Tliis Society has clone, and continues to i'lo, cxcclicnL work. I enr gl.rd to seo sirch r lat'ge nutnber prescnt I ancl .[ hope yorl are aii Membcrs of the Societv, but il you are notr ] trust you rvill be speeilily. You niay be intlepenclent of Governmefir

,,,

rnl"'' o,,uil*1,,r' r,1, rlre kirrri

urt tlte suhjt''i t i,"-.o.*'rrls llrere rrr,,.,,irr rrro T*rrrrd. n'0t.';""'li.l',).,';;;;;;'1*'.''""i""s$a' ,,1; nr {"iaurirrn,r *,,,,nlrl,t ,r,'..,:ilri'"i'i l',j-'i"-iin""="'li ,Xt',1{ il,:;J -, i:'l'il" :,i,;":;i::?fr]' ). 9",1, ru say \\ .,s it,r rire sigiril a r'r .coes lro l<lxp6' [rr oth.er*Jt,ri, r{.rrr'r"l', irrri,l,""'" r.;rr.," li1'1 1l' .1

iri,.

t:()t{t.l lru\r Puint orrt,tlr ,r Ir(. founrl, at,l,n't' b"-i1"f cr.."

J ri. i;ltetr r11' ,rrir',t;,,',-"-,,.i]1.1"^li': l"ll" ,,, '.i-,,,;,i;,,; ... i,;' y;;;.");i".iilJ,^i,. l"""rl,;:;i,,.u.,,
:r

.sus{r'stiorr marie.by.your conicnL ,,, ilJ,. ,',, l'''3. ;f:,':';;;' jrl,, 1,,,1,:1. o'^'o;ti-r,:,1y,',17,;,-i; l:i",i:;l:,,,|;flTji "oileciins ,n,,i",.i,,ru I ttl ttctett[

"i,'rl:, o ",.,

r,*,,,i:3

;tttri trr6,r"yrt

oi,',i

ncc.rhe irr rvhi, , """"rr.;.".'ill; ii rTilTi T; ljeil:ttt11 I :rre^;rgre"d. Lhal Lhey .',r,'(.. irt rlrc h;rttJs, r,l ;rrrl.i.. n.o'k,,f ,-hl" ^?"ih,flr' or.;rr lers[
,.'

'|'r) I

ll"ji,?l',"lj"lljl'? :fl11ii i:l';j rlr,,q. j,, ,f,a ,t '.r(''co('b_uf a sirnihr. srylr l(llotYn to me lre "'"i"'r'"''sl ir,rr;' Tl'e,in -rrrl,1,r'i'po,,*-in

;il.:i +;.lllli,lr ill:il:'ji ;ij

Ixir.5. ;rrrr,l

Iri'ri,.uiir

rr

d*r".'"1' Ile

lt,ll'

,ll,
; ;

,i,lil

but (iovernurent is not in.lependent of you- lTuch of the scientifc s,ork underiakon by the Govelrirnent oI Oe;rlon has bcen due to the

shoujrJ ,t,, -, ,,1i,i"i,.',Ji::l] rnor. f rrlly.a,i'a'"*rr.uJ;""ri .n,:",.. ill,. i.u ;l' rncl'c >lllmir:o. for' lre li' \illrl,{)r.1. '"t rddttc.. n"o r:oaton*

.,^'t'," il'.ll'* l,;rl,cr. n;r. rrot p"1in16-i,rnd cir.culalerl ,.,1* .rti.. tieii's rhco.y",,l ,,.*o;;;",.';#ii:T.r" hcfole ii. rt,rrling ; ,n, .' as ir .ur.prise ro t,'',. ,, ,' ,', ',1:".,"1 llil,irrq uf rlre .\si;rric s;";;ir.'",Jih",,*i." I

l;[;;;',],i'*'""*t*" grarriotl' "f il,;;;;;":"liJJ .tirc qrrestion ne-xr ;rrises :rs io "i' ;;. iYt" " i.'?l' il, i",i,,l i ?,1,'illrJ[L' i,;;., 1 l l ::, fj;*:f;$;;t""i

'

,-r,;. -"1',"8i
n

;;;i;;;

lztr

J0unNAL, r'".A.S. (0rnYL()N).

pa.ribzts,

[Vor,.1y.

Nr,r.
I

48.-1897.1

APPENDIX.

l2g

frescoes founcl in.Ceylon must, 1t_t'intd,.f,rr.cie, until thc contraly is definitely establ.ished. Rut, apart florn this, I poirrtecl to the significant fact that t.wo of the frescoes at Ajrluta, as poini,ecl out l:y Ilelguss,'n mrd nlannirrE. depicb scencs from bhe l'[uhltout3,su., tlie arrcient chronicle of L:ii_rkl.

It wiil be admittecl llnt, cateris

the credit of paintino rest witlL ihe Si4hales[

Aruha:ological lieport.on. " Sigir''iya." I desire now merely ti, or two inaccuracies into which 1\Ir. Fernarrdo lias siippedl. ] It or"y be assumed once for nll that the frescoes at Ajanta in Ihdia. rrrd rlroie on the Sigiriya Rock, were execuLed, if noi, by thc srtme lr:.rnds,:rt leasl Ly artists treined irr the s;tme school.
lcor..ect one

ii1

lry

In fLrct, the abscrlute fldelity to detl,il ls regalds the intrurluction of Buddhism, ir,nd tlie preaching of M:rhinc1a, cau leii,r.e no cloubt as to whirt rvas mezul. Ilence, I rrgued in favour of Silhalese artists. llr. BeIl macle a pt .nt of the fact that thrl Sigiriya .frescoes ryere the oniy ones of the hincl in Oeylon" I repliecl by saying thnt those at Ajanta rvere just as unique as regar(ls lrtdir:r,; bui omiLted to notice that Mr. Bell had hirnself statccl in his tsapel that' trli the walis of the rock cave rlust origin:rilyhave been coverodwi+h siurilu,'-flescoes, of rvhich the existing ones for ilrecl a very small portiun, arrd tb at those of time only have escapecl the rrlvages(tpockets frorn the frct tLlt' they lev in " of the rock tumples. TLus, so sheltered a, position in thc from Mr'. Beli's own stlndpoint, there is nothing to prevent the supposition that thcse are thc only existing frescoes of ma,ny ihat were ptrinteil, not orrly in Sigiriya, but in other plaoes as well, in the fifth century of the Chrisbian era. Ki,syapa rvns a prisoner-king. Bctakirrg himself to the Rock Foriress of Sigiriya, he la;, for eighteen long years in conceaiment, felrful of the vengeancc of his brottrei' I[o5;gali,ne, from rvhic]r he only escaped bv the crinre of suicicle. It is t'lifficult bo understrlrrtl the oppor-

]lr. Ferlando s urguments rgeinsl the impor.trtion of ', exoLi,. " fur tlre printing ul thc Sigiriya frescoes muy besL be rluutcd. briefly iorrclred on s r;ul;ti:'rnd (l) (' Ccuteris 1:turibus, the credit of painting frescoes founcl irr
Lrlcrrb

()evlon rnust, prinz(i fo,r:ie, rest, with the Sinhtrlese." (iranted : but " other things are" not (r equilt " 1 littlc Ceylon is nol qiirnt Iudia; the field of selection for competent artists is about orre tu sixtv.
;r,nd

tunities which this prisoncr-kirtg woultl have had io cornmunicate ('exotic " itrtists. rvith Indi:r,, and to import thelefrom 1l}.e presumption of " e,totic " artists tvould imply that painting \\.irs the orly arb irr rvhich the auciont Sirrhi'r,lese were lacking, great as

The scenes referreii to tre-(a) the supposed Ianding of Yijnya in introcluction of lludilhism inro the Oeylon; and (D) the 'fslnnd-given by 1\[rs. supposedher .Life in Ancient Intl,ict,. Speir in As regalds (o), Mrs. Speir rightly remarks that the picture-fronr 1,lrc horse-worship introducecl into it-illustlates LIa not'thet'n acla rtaiion of the story in tbe -lluhurutzsa, r'elirted in a Nepalese work of Ivai6kit6s'rvara," who srved " Sinhrlrr " (Y;ja;'a) in the form of a horse. Tlre Sighalcse have always l-ieionged to the l.Iinayanu. ("Lesser Yehicle ") school of Br"rdclhisrn, which kno'ws not Avai6kit6s'n'rrra, the Bodhisatva of the northern Llu,ltlt"yurzu, or '( Greater' Vohicle." Much the same comment applies to (D). Ii may equLrlly as rvell ]rave been based on Northern Budcihist works as taken frorn the ,lltthr.hr,t.r,n,stL, of the Southern school-if, that is. the oainting has
rurything rvhatever to do rvith the meeting between'Mahinda and Devanampiya Tisa. were the
those

,:hlonicie of La4k6."

(2) '' Tvo of thc flescoes at Ajanta,, as pointed out by Fergussorr II;rrrrring [sic], Cepict scenes from lhe lfahituxmsa, the ancient

they admittecll"v lvere in sculpture, architecture, engineoling;, ctc. l(ing Dutugcmunri (1li1rt.c;. to 137 B.c.), after hrtving clefeaNecl the 'I'lrrril irrvrr,iel ELiJ'r, bnilt, bhe huge ll,uwanvcli (golcl-clust) Dirgaba to conrmemorate his victoty, ilncl the ll[uluiu:mt'sct' r'ecords that its walls -!'r'crmiliorl paint mrxed were covered rvitli pictu.r'es painted rvith witlo ktlrr, (gingelly) oil." On blris, the first knowl historicr-lI mention of oil painting, Sir Emersou llenncnt bases his olaim to the disoo_r'ery of oii-painting on bchirlf of the Sighalese. 'l'o prove lha't lhc l'[qhuz,rru 4zsoiecortl,;rl a fnct, tr make the Tollowing rpotaLiorr from Burrows' -Cities of Ce'yl.ott, p. 3l : des"crilrtion of tiris Dirgrlbt in t'irre Buricr.l" l{nri' traces of the gaudy painting r'}rich forn'rcriy atlornecl (or "
ili-sligured) those zllbars may

I(ing

(3) " Mr. Bell rnade :r, point of the fact that the Sigiriya frescoes olly ones of the kincl in Ceylon. I replied by saying ihat
of Ajanta lvere just as unique as regards India." 'Ihe Ajanta paintings are not " unique " iri the sense of the frescoes

rr,t i\giliyil. fb is true that the former (as Fergusson records) '' rcprcscnt Bucirlhist legends on a scale and"nith a distinctncss founcl nowhere else in Inclia." But there are other frescoes r'hicb in beauty

still bc seen." of ail these"facts -[ Iniry be I,Ir. Bell's theory of "exotic " artis|s.

hithe

f:r,:e

excused

if I fail to l,clopt

,rf execution run them very close-if, indeecl, they do not srupass thcrn ; ancl'n'hich plove fuither that the art retained its fuII vigour tor rnlny centulics longer on the Indian continent. I refer to the

yrurs truly,
O.

I[.

FnrlrveNno.

issuc of the 20th ins|lnt, corrt.r,ining a ietter b.1. l\'h. U. 1\[. FerrrrLndo' antl il short editorial pirritgrzrph, r'olnting to l,lte " sigili; 'r Iiresc,'es " I note that I'Il'. li'ernlLndo hls leturnerrl to tlte chrrr';1e, in rleferrce or" his theory of Sirrlralese ir,uthorslril.r fol the paititings eb Sigiriyl.. . I clo not propose to entel here fuliy irito the disputed tlueslio-n.of their execuiion by n:r,tive or foreign irtirts; this 1 lrope io do lrter

'I-o thc ltrlnon, Ceylon, Stu,rxl,utd. Srt,-\altt,: one h:rs been gootl enough to serttl rnu ir rlopy of

vo_ur

"roya,l :l,bode " of Akbar in the sixteenth century. I{ere, in Ce1lon, ive hare nolherc else mural painting attaining ihe standard of art rxhibited in rlrc Sisitiva frescoes. Agrin. hrd I(nsvina"emniovetl Sirrhulcse siLiuru'tt to rdolrr ihe wulls of hi< mrrvelirui cit,ttlei, ii m,ry i'easonably' bc in{erred thar tht' services of the ancestors of the Niiagama guild of painters rvould have lrrorr cnlisted: .yet rt lhis day iro triclirion e-ven lir,tgers among tlrcse hercrlitarv lrlf tsmasrer., *"ho." work ai lhe rncien-i Drmlrulli t-rrr-o temple c"oes back to an earlier date than the occupation of, F igiril'r. ai a cipital. Shown the Sigiriya frescoes irr the " p-oc}ets " tLomseh-es last year, these Nilagam"a men cleclared their inability io

ivolclerfLl paintings to"be seen at Jlathpur-Sikri, near Agra, the

16-97

13t)

JouRNAr/, R.A.s.

(cEyLoN).

[Vor,. XV.

conservative-follows s]avjshlv siereoryped fo,.ms and rnethods. rs it pr_obable-is it even possiLle:;ilt ihe art ot i.es"o.].:,sighalesc could'have ,i*"n"ro ,f ,"t igr. r"u"i of E?:*'l^C rn i5rgtnya l1nglq [fLh cenrury, and-gredurily dcgenerrted inlo the .the travesty which offe'ils i,h" oy" ancl"excites "ridilirle at tiie moaorn Buddhist temples o"[ CeyJon ?" _ (6) " K{!I.rR". was- a prisoner-king. Beraking himself ro the Rock
vengcllce c,f his brother ltoggilt,lnr, from .rrhich he "o:l.tj:,.. i:.11I1,9.| ],1: or[y esclped by l,lre rrme of suicide. Tt is d]fficult ro undr,rstlnd tbe wlrn rnola. nrr,t to rmporl therefrorn .cxoijc' flrtisrs... .,iickct_of,lcave.. prince ,,((I'risoner-king. "-presumably a sort of ; ;f,uowed by.the consrderateiless of younger brotltt r 1o lnvc ior only -a -eighrecl longyears" the run of [n" fitrnJ, rrrovidect he kent in decent " concealmenL." To Kdsyap:.r.'s crerlit, be ic srid. he behaved
appears

oii; tr"the ;;;,ir;;t;: iion of Ruwauvcti Dr;igaba when fiiiiifryiii,,g l)utugemuru (first century B.c.) ; and quotes- Sir Ernerson t"nn"it i^'_;i;;;;;ii# '' claim to tbe discoverv of oit-painring on l;i;ii ""r;ii"iil". ;i ;#KBil;#;; up_o_n this single shrecl .it io6,.iiiirT,. '"f -.Very good : let us admit, fgr the. *o-""i, ifrut the honour of the j:::;::f.flyl!^':-_t. Ii, I, rhe sirjh arese._,r.o usl, i t',"" riy,i.d, consroerarlly more proof; .let rrs go further and issume tnat Outug,grni1",qid not go.ro thecontinen"tof India t"" ii_".ii.r._*., t"""lji tne,lttaltataa,(sa tells_us, he well may_whet rhcn i, }{" ,"o*itL-, 00lo mrn rnarwoulct asscrb thar the desceudanrs of the sinhalese (if.Sinh.alese they were) wbo painted it" a"ri,iOfr"p;;.J'b6;;; -aliars" were capable oi dcsiguing,."a "u".)iirg out,'ttre tife_-Iike frescoes of Sigiriya. Moreov"er, a"s is rveli k;;;n. O.ierrtal aJls s[rongly
mixed wilh l,lu

caves Ilanda-gala and Dimbulalgala, is not a"uoid oil'*qrit, i* fra""g* of t# lower grade of art than tfe frescoes of Ajanta nrlo o,gr".yn. (5) lft Fernan-do harps on the allusion in the )iattriwar-zsa . to rhe use of .,vermilion naiirt

!eylo_3. l._have ancient cavc vihir6. &c., in ilie Cerrtmi,_North_h".t..,,. rnd North_ Ceniral Provinces. f have cxamjned w"ll ;i;h a thousrnrl_qrn -".__ painiing rivailing the arr.trisplayed in the sffiiy.rl"i""-.i rr#;$?,t to fnd. The surface painting faintly tr"""?Oi6 on the ,,nliarq,, some of Llrc larser d;isal,as of' Anur;i,lh;rpo"", o"i'h"',o"oll.iiH" ^+ _:1

exrsl,llg frescoes Inot].ihe of many thai wer.e painted, not onlv'at Sisirlv, in otler places ;rs_welr,.in the 6ft,h "ii}'""in.r.ti"fi';;*,o"' a great Norhing a.t all,,as ""niuro Sigiriyu i. far aj deal as regards ,.other 1la.ceg" througho;t "oo.n_".l, bui niu*ir"i*"fi lf

cxplain the process bv which the colours '' UISO," ol to attempt-to ,(restore ,' them inhave been permanentlv Jny oegree. (4) ,(Thus, from Mr. Bell's own stanclpoint, the-re. is nothinE
oreventthe suonosilion thatthcse are oruy

No. 48.-1897.1

APPDNDIX.

137

to

called "

Demai-a-mah"isdya,' ar

p;b;;"";;;,"o" in the

sin hr le*e..- F;; sculpture which canno"t u" t.a"edio

not be rs Mr. Ferna"d. piup;;J'r;';;; rhat rhe gi,rhatese " in ,'scutnr-ur"- o""t it".to"u. "itiiiiiii ",J$hltharucteristics favuu' rhe Asiatic sociltywith ,. eup", on ""ii,i.*r"gj; a"."1 * of the siT.rhal'ese stvle of Ancient e-."tiit""tu"u, *J Ruddhistic and Dravidian..tyr".loona"l""iriai}"iai*tio"t from the r do not sav tht .i; r:rsk is impossibte ; but it is [or to nu ,nauriulto #i.$; rhere is mucb ground for ihe -"pp;-;;i"rT;;l iro.iil]l the sittharese kinss ,.:t::i,, y:t::"rt o,t,izunsfrom tnc,coii;r"ii'ii very many tif rhe irncrenl monuments of Anurddhapu"", polonra.uwa, ";i"- "*ilrrc -Lr*itr]i# &c., commonlv ,r ilri bured to the
wcre 't sreat

wourd irnpry rhat painring ryas Lhc onl.y arL in which^the,a".i*t Siffifu#iuru tacking. great as rhey admir reclJy were ir r scu tpture. n"" hitE;l;;;; ;grneerrng,,, &c. This opens up a far wider questio-n, u"a l"u that must ,,besged.,'

(7) '' The presumpti,n of ' exobic ' artists

ih;'ilil;

"iiira

"u*ity

oi iotiJo .oo"""Yours faithfully, If. C. P" Rnr,r,,

Anur6dhapura, January 22, lBgg.

orrbrgrn)'r. he ley- for cighrcen long ye:Lrs ilr conrcalment,

n- h

oppor[u ni t ies

ich t his pri.soner_k i ng rvould

h:r ve

l,;rd I o com municate

exceedingly wcll,durirrq his per.iod of ,.probrtion.,; f," more murdcrs: he did not, worry Moggallriurr (rvho. ""*-irt"a "" |iy the way,

clLaclel-Just lo show n het honcst (.concealment .. me:rn-t. Of couise, "*p",""1 "Lg"i6;3"r"r"y"i under such conditions, intercourse with rndi, *"rra ir- qiiiiui*por.itr".

no[ to embarrass his e]dcr brorher in the leu"tj , n. rn"."'|u-unrii.a ""oss'ou"r il:::lf l.ry erect ing, rt vrst. hbour and

toltlve found it ,,conredient,'"To

to

Tndr-a. so as

(a

*t..."orril