Stone sculpture--Dippitiya vihare--Kegalle (Sri Lanka) Buddhist art and symbolism--Sri Lanka
These two female busts are identified as the earth goddesses or polovamahikanthava who acts as guardians. They seem to rise out of the earth from their placement at the entrance to a Buddhist temple. This guardstone, is one of two found at the entrance to the precincts of the Dippitiya Vihare in the Kegalle district, Sri Lanka. The temple is dated in the Kandyan period (16th-18th century A.D.).
Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini
International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation
American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo
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Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection