Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c11.s1.87

c11.s1.87

A beautiful form of the tree of life is treated almost pictorially on the Keḷaṇiya vihāra ceiling (Pl. XIV., 4); the life symbolism is emphasized by the many forms of life—birds, animals and man—associated with the tree and living under it; but the special interest of this type is its identity with the tree forms characteristic of the South Indian printed palampores; it is perhaps found in Ceylon as the result of Tamil influence, or may belong to an older stratum common to both races, the likelihood of which must always be remembered when considering the origin of particular decorative forms.