Image title: Ceramic Lion

English text:

Ceramic Lion — Grotesque figure of lion, glazed China stone ware. A popular presentation of the lion in Chinese sculpture with gaping mouth and one of the front hands raised in salutation. This figure together with four others was found in the premises of Valukarama temple, Lunava, Moratuva. (14th - 15th A.D)

Note: In Sanskrit this would be denoted as Siṃhamūrti (सिंहमूर्ति, simha-murti).

Sinhala text (not proofread):

පිඟන් මැටියෙන් නිමවූ සිංහ මූර්තිය — පිඟන් මැටියෙන් නිමවා ඔප දැමූ · සිංහ රූපයකි. චීනයේ ප්‍රකට මූර්ති සම්ප්‍රදායකට අයත් මෙම සිංහ රූපය මුව අයාගෙන ඉදිරිපස එක් අතක් ඔසවා සමාචාර කරන අයුරින් නිර්මිතය. මෙම මූර්තිය තවත් සිංහ මූර්ති 4 ක් සහිතව, මොරටුව, ලුනාව, වාලුකාරාම විහාර භූමියෙන් සොයාගෙන ඇත. (ක්‍රි.ව. 14 - 15 සියවස )

Transcription:

piṅgan mæṭiyen nimavū siṅha mūrtiya — piṅgan mæṭiyen nimavā opa dæmū · siṅha rūpayaki. chīnayē prakaṭa mūrti sampradāyakaṭa ayat mema siṅha rūpaya muva ayāgena idiripasa ek atak osavā samāchāra karana ayurin nirmitaya. mema mūrtiya tavat siṅha mūrti 4 k sahitava, moraṭuva, lunāva, vālukārāma vihāra bhūmiyen soyāgena æta. (kri.va. 14 - 15 siyavasa )

Transcription:

pingan matiyen nimavu sinha murtiya — pingan matiyen nimava opa damu · sinha rupayaki. chinaye prakata murti sampradayakata ayat mema sinha rupaya muva ayagena idiripasa ek atak osava samachara karana ayurin nirmitaya. mema murtiya tavat sinha murti 4 k sahitava, moratuva, lunava, valukarama vihara bhumiyen soyagena ata. (kri.va. 14 - 15 siyavasa )

Automated translation:

A ceramic and glazed lion sculpture. Belonging to a well-known Chinese sculptural tradition, this lion image is made in a way that one hand is raised in front of the mouth and is traveling. This sculpture along with 4 other lion sculptures were found in Moratuwa, Lunawa, Valukarama temple grounds. (14th - 15th century AD)

Tamil text (not proofread):

செரமிக் சிங்கம் — வெண்களிமண்ணால் நிர்மாணிக்கப்பட்டு மெருகூட்டப்பட்ட சிங்க உருவம்.சீனாவில் பிரபல சிற்ப மரபை சார்ந்த இச் சிங்க உருவம் வாயை திறந்துக்கொண்டு முற்புற ஒரு கையை மேலோங்கி ஆசாரம் செய்கின்ற வண்ணம் நிர்மாணிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. இவ் உருவம் மேலும் 4 சிங்க உருவங்களுடன் மொறட்டுவை, லுனாவ வாலுகாராம விகாரை வளவில் இருந்து கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்டுள்ளது. (கி.பி. 14 15 ஆம் நூற்றாண்டு)

Transcription:

ceramik ciṅkam — veṇkaḷimaṇṇāl nirmāṇikkappaṭṭu merukūṭṭappaṭṭa ciṅka uruvam.cīṉāvil pirapala ciṟpa marapai cārnta ic ciṅka uruvam vāyai tiṟantukkoṇṭu muṟpuṟa oru kaiyai mēlōṅki ācāram ceykiṉṟa vaṇṇam nirmāṇikkappaṭṭuḷḷatu. iv uruvam mēlum 4 ciṅka uruvaṅkaḷuṭaṉ moṟaṭṭuvai, luṉāva vālukārāma vikārai vaḷavil iruntu kaṇṭeṭukkappaṭṭuḷḷatu. (ki.pi. 14 15 ām nūṟṟāṇṭu)

Transcription:

seramig singam — venkalimannal nirmanikkappattu meruguttappatta singa uruvam.sinavil pirapala sirpa marapai sarntha is singa uruvam vayai thiranthukkondu murpura oru kaiyai melongi asaram seykinra vannam nirmanikkappattullathu. iv uruvam melum 4 singa uruvangaludan morattuvai, lunava valugarama vigarai valavil irunthu kandedukkappattullathu. (ki.pi. 14 15 am nurrandu)

Automated translation:

A glazed lion figure made of bronze. This lion figure, which belongs to a popular Chinese sculptural tradition, is constructed with an open mouth and a raised front hand. This image along with 4 other lion images have been found in Morattuvai, Lunava Valukarama Viharai Vala. (14th 15th century AD)

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Galle National Museum—one of the most significant heritage sites in Sri Lanka's southern half constructed in Dutch architectural design. The main objectives of the museum are to the acquisition, conservation, study and research of historical and cultural heritage of the Southern half of Sri Lanka and to exhibit those objects to encourage public knowledge and education.