Saturday, November 13, 2010

Sigiriya Mirror Wall

Back down the spiral staircase and continuing up the path towards the summit is the Mirror Wall. This highly polished (and protected by threat of large fine and/or imprisonment for those who touch or vandalize the surface) wall contains the graffiti inscriptions of visitors from between the 6th and 14th centuries who made their remarks about the rock & palace – and particularly the women frescoes, written in rather poetic and descriptive manners. A large number has been studied, deciphered, and published in a two-volume book. The markings also help document the evolution of the Sinhalese script and language. I’m glad someone had the patience and ability to decipher the ancient writings from modern defacing covering it.

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