Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/273

 CHAP. VIII. ANURADHAPURA. 237 curve inwards to 12 in. broad at the top, which is flat. All these capitals are carved with seated lions. In the third and outermost circle the shafts are 10 in. in diameter and octagonal throughout ; their capitals are 25 in. high and at greatest width 19 in., diminishing to 9^ in. at the top, ornamented, like those of the Thuparama, with sixteen dwarf figures instead of lions. There were 20 pillars in the inner circle, 28 in the second, and 40 in the third those in one circle having no relation in position to those in the next. As will be observed, the two last-mentioned dagabas present us with a peculiarity not found on any example we have else- where met with outside Ceylon, inasmuch as they are sur- rounded by three circles of slender monolithic pillars of very elegant design. The purpose of those pillars is somewhat per- plexing : it has been suggested that they may once have carried a roof, 1 but they are so slender, and arranged without relation of those in one circle to those in the next, that any roof of however light materials could hardly have been placed on them ; and the examination of the capitals does not favour such a hypothesis. They rather correspond to the rails of Indian stupas, marking out procession paths or pradakshinas, whilst they were probably also employed as stambhas or lats. The tallest of them, in the two inner circles at the Thuparama, had tenons of different sizes and forms on the capitals hardly two of them being alike which indicate that they may have supported various religious symbols and images, such as Dharmachakras, Triratnas, etc. The pillars of the outer circles at the Thuparama and Lankarama had also pads or fastenings on their capitals as if to retain metal or other symbols perhaps of a different type from those on the two inner rows. 2 There is still another the Kujjatissarama, better known as the Selachaitiya dagaba between the Ruwanveli and Abhayagiri stupas, but so ruined that its architectural features were undis- tinguishable until excavated in 1895. It was a mere mound of ruined brickwork, rising about 1 5 ft. above the platform. The base has been about 37 ft. 5 in. in diameter, and it stands on a paved platform 46 ft. 9 in. square, rising 7 ft. 6 in. above the ground level, and enclosed by a stone parapet, with entrances on the east and south sides. It may perhaps belong to the reign of Lajji Tissa about 55 B.C. 3 The spot at all events is said to have been hallowed by the presence of Ka^yapa, the Buddha preceding Sakyamuni. 1 General L. de Beylie, ' L'Archi- and plate 8. lecture de Hindoue en Extreme-Orient,' 3 Mr. Bell identifies it with the 5ila p. 361. I Thupa built by that monarch. 'Sessional 2 Smither's ' Anuradhapura,' pp. 5-7, i Paper,' xl. 1904.