History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v1.c8.16

v1.c8.16

All this is the more curious because in Ceylon we have, in the 'Dîpawansa,' 'Mahâwansa,' and other books of a like nature, a consecutive history of that island, with dates which, with certain corrections, may be depended upon within certain limits of error, for periods extending from about B.C. 250 to the present time. At the other extremity of India, we have also in the ‘Râjataranginî’ of Kashmîr, a work of the 12th century, which Professor Wilson characterised as “the only Sanskrit composition yet discovered to which the title of History can with any propriety be applied.”¹ It hardly helps us, however, to any ancient historical data, its early chronology being only traditional and confused; but from the beginning of the 9th Christian century, its materials are of great value.²