Women in Sri Lankan Sculpture and Painting

Male and female cobras guarding a pond

Cobras in art

Stone--Bas-reliefs--Galabadda--Moneragala--Sri Lanka

Flanking the steps on two opposites sides of a pond at Galabadda in the Monaragala district, Sri Lanka, are two male and two female relief figures in stone, facing each other. Each of them carries a flowering pot and what appears to be a water vessel. Associated with a water resource, this may be an instance of a nagini (female cobra) guardian, although there are no cobra hoods on any of the images. A date in the 12th century A.D. has been suggested by scholars, for the ruins at Galabadda, Sri Lanka.

Sirima Kiribamune

Galabadda, Monaragala, Sri Lanka

12th 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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