Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c24.46

c24.46

A special variety of tile is the eaves- or hanging tile, used on dēvāle and vihāra roofs to fringe the eaves. These tiles have a plain flat upper portion which passes under the last row of tiles at the edge of the roof, and is inclined at an angle of about 110-120° to the visible down-hanging part of the tile which forms the roof fringe and which is alone shown in the figures. The hanging part of these tiles is sometimes approximately square in form (Pl. XXVI., 1 and 2), but they have more often the shape of conventionalized bō-leaves (Fig. 136). Animal figures, usually those of the lion (simha) and goose (hamsa), are embossed on both the outer and inner surfaces of the hanging tile, but sometimes the inner less easily seen surface is left plain. This relievo decoration is effected by pressing down the tile on to a wooden mould on which the lion (found usually on the obverse) is engraved, the clay being pressed well into the mould from behind by the action of the fingers. The addition of ornament on the reverse is more difficult. The figure, usually a hamsa, is prepared in the same way by pressing soft clay into a suitable mould, but instead of the whole tile only the actual animal form is made, and when this is lifted off the mould it is applied to the back of the tile (the obverse of which has already been ornamented). The result of this pressing of both animal forms into hollow moulds is that when they are applied together back to back on the obverse and reverse of the tile there remains a hollow space within the tile, and between the two animal shells. It is usual to pierce a small round hole on the animal's body on the reverse side to admit of the escape of heated air when the tile is fired. The decorated tiles so made stand out in high relief, and show up well in brilliant sunshine. A simpler method results in the production of similarly decorated tiles with less relief. This result is attained by merely pressing the clay between the two wooden moulds. It is obvious that equally high relief cannot be obtained in this way, as there is no way of pressing the clay into the hollows of a deep mould.