Women in Sri Lankan Sculpture and Painting

A single hooded cobra-guardian

Cobras in art

Stone--Bas-reliefs--Vannammaduva tank--Anuradhapura district--Sri Lanka

A nagini (female cobra) sculpture carved on a rock surface is found at an abandoned sluice near the Vannammaduva tank, in the Anuradhapura district, Sri Lanka. The stone on the cobra’s left is damaged. It is possible that there was a second female companion on this side. A date in the Anuradhapura period (4th century A.D. to 10th century A.D.) has been conjectured by scholars.

Sirima Kiribamune

Vannammaduva tank, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

ca. 4th century A.D. to 10th century A.D.

Period of study: 1986-1987

Version: 01/12/2012

Co-Author: Seneviratna, Harsha

Technical Officer: Wijesinghe, Lalith

Technical Assistant: Jayasundare, Subhashini

Photographer: Madanayake, I.S.

International Center for Ethnic Studies, Kandy, Sri Lanka

Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation

American Institute for Sri Lankan Studies, Colombo

All rights reserved by International Center for Ethnic Studies, Sri Lanka.

Forms part of Photographic documentation of Women as depicted in early Sri Lankan sculpture and painting / Slide in present collection

JPEG 2000

eng

image

PDWESLSP.S.30

ce