Image title: Asian Lion Sculpture

English text:

Lion — This magnificent lion sculpture was manufactured either in Southeast Asia or china. With the exception of the physical characteristics of a lion, this figure also resembles a dog. The terms lion-dog or foo-dog are used to denotes this type of sculpture. During the Han dynasty (206BCE-220CE) in china, such sculptures were displayed at holy places and at royal graves. It was belived that these statues contained certain metaphysical power. This sculpture was recovered from Lunava, Moratuwain 1945.

Note: In Sanskrit, a “lion” is denoted by the term Siṃha (सिंह, simha)

Sinhala text (not proofread):

සිංහයා — මෙම දර්ශනීය සිංහ රුව අග්නි දිග ආසියාවේ හෝ චීනයේ නිෂ්පාදනය කරන ලද්දකි. සිංහයෙකු සතු ලක්ෂණ වලට අමතරව සුනඛයකුගේ ද මෙම මූර්තියෙන් දිස් වේ. එහෙයින් මෙම වර්ගයේ මූර්ති හැඳින්වීම සඳහා සිංහ සුනඛ සහ ප්‍රහර්ෂයේ සුනඛයා යන පද ද භාවිත වේ. චීනයේ හන් රාජ සමයේ දී (ක්‍රි. පූ. 206 සිට ක්‍රි.ව. 220) මේ සමාන රූප පුජනීය ස්ථාන වල සහ රාජකීය සොහොන්වල ප්‍රදර්ශනය කරන ලද්දේ ඒවා සතුව කිසියම් අධිභෞතික බලයක් ඇතැයි යන විශ්වාසයෙනි. වර්ෂ 1945 දී මොරටුවේ ලුනාව ප්‍රදේශයෙන් මෙම මූර්තිය සොයාගෙන තිබේ.

Transcription:

siṅhayā — mema darśanīya siṅha ruva agni diga āsiyāvē hō chīnayē niṣpādanaya karana laddaki. siṅhayeku satu lakṣaṇa valaṭa amatarava sunakhayakugē da mema mūrtiyen dis vē. eheyin mema vargayē mūrti hændinvīma sandahā siṅha sunakha saha praharṣayē sunakhayā yana pada da bhāvita vē. chīnayē han rāja samayē dī (kri. pū. 206 siṭa kri.va. 220) mē samāna rūpa pujanīya sthāna vala saha rājakīya sohonvala pradarśanaya karana laddē ēvā satuva kisiyam adhibhautika balayak ætæyi yana viśvāsayeni. varṣa 1945 dī moraṭuvē lunāva pradēśayen mema mūrtiya soyāgena tibē.

Transcription:

sinhaya — mema darshaniya sinha ruva agni diga asiyave ho chinaye nishpadanaya karana laddaki. sinhayeku satu lakshana valata amatarava sunakhayakuge da mema murtiyen dis ve. eheyin mema vargaye murti handinvima sandaha sinha sunakha saha praharshaye sunakhaya yana pada da bhavita ve. chinaye han raja samaye di (kri. pu. 206 sita kri.va. 220) me samana rupa pujaniya sthana vala saha rajakiya sohonvala pradarshanaya karana ladde eva satuva kisiyam adhibhautika balayak atayi yana vishvasayeni. varsha 1945 di moratuve lunava pradeshayen mema murtiya soyagena tibe.

Automated translation (not verified):

This spectacular lion statue was produced in Southeast Asia or China. In addition to the characteristics of a lion, a dog is also seen in this sculpture. Therefore, the terms Sinha Cangya and Praharsye Cangya are also used to describe this type of sculpture. During the Han Dynasty in China (206 BC to 220 AD), similar images were displayed in shrines and royal tombs in the belief that they possessed some supernatural power. This sculpture was found in 1945 in Lunawa area of Moratuwa.

Tamil text (not proofread):

சிங்கம் — இந்த பிரமாண்டமான சிங்கத்தினது சிற்பம் தென்கிழக்கு ஆசியாவில் அல்லது சீனாவில் தயாரிக்கப்பட்டது. சிங்கத்திற்குரிய பௌதீக இலட்சணங்களுக்கு விதிவிலக்கான வகையில் காணக்கூடியதாக உள்ளதோடு நாய்க்குரிய அமைப்போடும் ஒத்துப்போகின்றது. இந்த வகையான சிற்பங்களை குறிப்பிடுவதற்கு "சிங்க-நாய்" அல்லது "கர்வமாக உள்ள நாய் " எனும் பதங்கள் பயன்படுத்தப்பட்டன. சீனாவில் ஹான் எனப்படும் இராஜ பரம்பரைக் காலப்பகுதியில் (கி.மு.206 - கி.மு.220) புனித இடங்களிலும், அரச கல்லறைகளிலும் இவ் வகை சிற்பங்கள் காட்சிப்படுத்தப்பட்டன. இவ் வகை சிற்பங்கள் உறுதியான மனோத்தத்துவ சக்தியை கொண்டிருப்பதாக நம்பப்பட்டது. இச் சிற்பங்கள் 1945 இல் மொறட்டுவவில் லுனாவா எனும் பகுதியில் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்டது.

Transcription:

ciṅkam — inta piramāṇṭamāṉa ciṅkattiṉatu ciṟpam teṉkiḻakku āciyāvil allatu cīṉāvil tayārikkappaṭṭatu. ciṅkattiṟkuriya pautīka ilaṭcaṇaṅkaḷukku vitivilakkāṉa vakaiyil kāṇakkūṭiyatāka uḷḷatōṭu nāykkuriya amaippōṭum ottuppōkiṉṟatu. inta vakaiyāṉa ciṟpaṅkaḷai kuṟippiṭuvataṟku "ciṅka-nāy" allatu "karvamāka uḷḷa nāy " eṉum pataṅkaḷ payaṉpaṭuttappaṭṭaṉa. cīṉāvil hāṉ eṉappaṭum irāja paramparaik kālappakutiyil (ki.mu.206 - ki.mu.220) puṉita iṭaṅkaḷilum, araca kallaṟaikaḷilum iv vakai ciṟpaṅkaḷ kāṭcippaṭuttappaṭṭaṉa. iv vakai ciṟpaṅkaḷ uṟutiyāṉa maṉōttattuva caktiyai koṇṭiruppatāka nampappaṭṭatu. ic ciṟpaṅkaḷ 1945 il moṟaṭṭuvavil luṉāvā eṉum pakutiyil kaṇṭupiṭikkappaṭṭatu.

Transcription:

singam — intha piramandamana singathinathu sirpam thenkizhakku asiyavil allathu sinavil thayarikkappattathu. singathirkuriya pauthiga iladsanangalukku vithivilakkana vagaiyil kanakkudiyathaga ullathodu naykkuriya amaippodum othuppoginrathu. intha vagaiyana sirpangalai kurippiduvatharku "singa-nay" allathu "karvamaga ulla nay " enum pathangal payanpaduthappattana. sinavil han enappadum iraja parambaraig kalappaguthiyil (ki.mu.206 - ki.mu.220) punitha idangalilum, arasa kallaraigalilum iv vagai sirpangal kadsippaduthappattana. iv vagai sirpangal uruthiyana manothathuva sagthiyai kondiruppathaga nambappattathu. is sirpangal 1945 il morattuvavil lunava enum paguthiyil kandupidikkappattathu.

Automated translation (not verified):

This giant lion sculpture was made in Southeast Asia or China. Leo's physical ideals are exceptionally visible and compatible with the dog's constitution. The terms "lion-dog" or "proud dog" were used to refer to this type of sculpture. During the Han dynasty (206 BC - 220 BC) in China, this type of sculpture was displayed in sacred places and royal tombs. These types of sculptures were believed to have strong psychic powers. These sculptures were discovered in 1945 at Lunawa in Moratuwa.

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Maritime Museum in Galle (Sri Lanka) which include objects recovered from the 2nd century B.C. Godawaya shipwreck. The Maritime Museum is housed in Galle's historic Dutch warehouse (built in 1671) and opened its doors on May 9, 1992. The Maritime Archaeology Museum is serving as a centre of education for various groups of visitors and researchers of Southern region of Sri Lanka.