Women in Sri Lankan Sculpture and Painting

Two cobra-guardians carrying pots of plenty.

Cobras in art

Stone--Bas-reliefs--Manankattiya tank--Anuradhapura district--Sri Lanka

Dress and ornament in art--Sri Lanka

This well preserved example of female companions or naginis (female cobras) in tank sculpture can be seen at a sluice on the Manankattiya tank, east of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The details of dress and ornament can be clearly seen in this carving on hard stone. A date in the middle Anuradhapura period (ca. 6th-7th century A.D.) has been suggested by scholars.

Sirima Kiribamune

Manankattiya tank, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

ca. 6th-7th century A.D.

Period of study: 1986-1987

Version: 01/12/2012

Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha

Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith

Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini

Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.

International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo

All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.

Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection

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