Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c22.94

c22.94

*Lamps* Lamps are made of brass, less often of bronze; there are two main types, the standing lamps and the hanging. Of the latter, the variety is very great. Perhaps the most interesting are those in the form of birds, shown on Pl. XLIV., 4, and Fig. 126. A common type is barrel-shaped; another kind has the form of an elephant. In almost all cases the mouth of the lamp is fashioned as a *śerapendiya* head; sometimes a small bird is perched above, as on the lamp shown in Pl. XLIV., 4. Fig. 5 on the same Plate shows a small standing lamp; like most of its kind this lamp is of Indian form, and, indeed, probably of Tamil manufacture. Similar lamps with five or more wicks are also made to hang.