describes as making these cups, and carrying across the sea for sale in the great emporiums visited by these ships.[2] A variety of articles of silver are spoken of at very early periods.  Dutugaimunu, when building the great dagoba, caused the circle of its base to be described by “a pair of compasses made of silver, and pointed with gold;"[3] parasols, vases, caranduas and numerous other regal or religious paraphernalia, were made from this precious material.  Gold was applied in every possible form and combination to the decoration and furnishing of the edifices of Buddhism;—­“trees of gold with roots of coral,"[4] flowers formed of gems with stems of silver[5], fringes of bullion mixed with pearls; umbrellas, shields, chains, and jewelled statuettes[6], are described with enthusiasm by the annalists of the national worship.

[Footnote 1:  Amongst the miracles which signalised the construction of the Ruanwelle dagoba at Anarajapoora was the sudden appearance in a locality to the north-east of the capital of “sprouts” of gold above and below the ground, and of silver in the vicinity of Adam’s Peak.—­Mahawanso, ch. xxviii. pp. 166, 167.]

[Footnote 2:  Mahawanso, ch. xxii. p. 153. [Greek]—­Iliad, xxiii. 745.]

[Footnote 3:  Mahawanso, ch. xxx. p. 172.]

[Footnote 4:  Red coral, equal in its delicacy of tint to the highly-prized specimens from the Mediterranean, is found in small fragments on the sea-shore north of Point-de-Galle.]

[Footnote 5:  Mahawanso, ch. xxx. p. 179.]

[Footnote 6:  Mahawanso, ib. p. 180.]

The abundance of precious stones naturally led to their being extensively mounted in jewelry, and in addition to those found in Ceylon, diamonds[1] and lapis lazuli [2] (which must have been brought thither from India and Persia) are classed with the sapphire and the topaz, which are natives of the island.

[Footnote 1:  Rajaratnacari, p. 61.]

[Footnote 2:  Mahawanso, ch. xxx. p. 182.]

The same passion existed then, as now, for covering the person with ornaments; gold, silver, and gems were fashioned into rings for the ears, the nose, the fingers, and toes, into plates for the forehead, and chains for the neck, into armlets, and bracelets, and anklets, and into decorations of every possible form, not only for the women, but for men, and, above all, for the children of both sexes.  The poor, unable to indulge in the luxury of precious metals, found substitutes in shells and glass; and the extravagance of the taste was defended on the ground that their brilliancy served to avert the malignity of “the evil eye” from the wearer to the jewel.

Gilding.—­Gilding was likewise understood by the Singhalese in all its departments, both as applied to the baser metals and to other substances—­wood-work was gilded for preaching places[1] as was also copper for roofing, cement for decorating walls, and stone for statuary and carving.[2]