Agate Seal - Lanka
Ruhuna - Cat Symbol

A small Agate seal with a figure of a cat (Leopard ?) carved on it, found in Akurugoda in area of Tissamaharama.

SPECIFICATIONS
MaterialAgate
TypePolished
Diameter27.5/19.2 mm
Thickness4.2 mm
Weight3.85 gms
Shapeelongate
Edgesmooth
 ruhuna_cat_seal_obverse ruhuna_cat_seal_reverse
Unpublished
Obverse : Figure of a Cat carved incuse at center.
Reverse : Cross within plain slightly elongated circle. - Earth Symbol

The slender body with long tail seems like a representation of a Leopard which is also indigenous to Lanka rather than a Lion.

In the 1999 catalog by Osmund Bopearachchi and Rajah Wickramasinhe titled Ruhuna. An Ancient Civilization Re-visited , they are listed under Intaglios (O.1-O.16), of both human and Animal figures cut on various stones some of Agate. It was obtained from the same collector who provided most of the items for that book.

The seal was scanned at 400 dpi and displayed at 200 dpi. It was obtained in 2003 May from Mr A. Ratnayaka a collector in Katharagama, Lanka.