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DECEMBER, 1892.) ARCHÆOLOGICAL TOUR THROUGH RAMANNADESA. 377
NOTES ON AN ARCHÆOLOGICAL TOUR THROUGH RAMANNADESA
(THE TALAING COUNTRY OF BURMA).
BY TAW SEIN-KO. TINDER instructions from the Government of Burma, I left Rangoon for Moulmein on
the 5th December, 1891. As it was my intention to explore the whole of the country, which constituted the ancient Talaing kingdom of Ramannadasa, with special reference to the elucidation of the history of the places mentioned in the Kalyani Inscriptions, I went down to Amherst by boat and returned to Moulmein by land, and the notes now published are those that I was enabled to make by the way.
The Mun or Talaing language is still spoken in the villages between Amherst and Moulmein, and is stiil taaght in the monastic schools there ; but, owing to there being no Government grants-in-aid given for the encouragement of its study, it is not taught in the lay schools. The Talaing language has a unique literature of its own; numbers of inscriptions are recorded in it; and certain questions relating to the ethnography, history, antiquities, and languages of the peoples inhabiting Burma are awaiting solution, because the Talaing literature is still a terra incognita. Considering that the study of the insignificant dialects of the Karen language, which has no indigenous literature, and whose alphabet was invented by Doctor Wade, an American Missionary, in 1832, receives considerable encouragement, it would be well if the Education Department could see its way to recognize Talaing in the curriculum of studies for indigenous schools in those parts of the Tavoy, Amherst, Shwêgyin, and Pega districta, where it is still spoken and studied. This measure would, no doubt, be pleasing to the Talaings, and would be a token of gracions, althongh late, recognition of the services rendered by their fellow-countrymen to the British in the first and second Burmese Wars.1
About 20 miles from Amherst is WAgar, originally founded by King Wågarů near the close of the 13th Century, A. D. The site of the old city is now completely covered with jungle; but traces of its walls and moat still exist. It is said that its walls were of laterite, and that images of the same material existed in its vicinity. But I saw neither the walls nor the images ; apparently the laterite walls have served as road-metal for the contractors of the Public Works Department, and the images are hidden by jungle. I am not sure whether any excavations carried out at Wagarû would bring to light any inscriptions or objects of archeological interest,
On the 11th December, Pagat was visited. There are caves of great historical interest in its neighbourhood. Pågat is the birth-place of Wagar, who restored the Talaing monarchy after Råmaññadêsa had been subject to Burmese rule for over two centuries, and is full of historical associations. It was here that Dalà bàn, the . Hereward the Wake' of the Talaings, utilized the strategic position of the place, and for long defied the Burmese foroes of (Alaungp'aya) Alompra's son and immediate successor, Naungdògyi." The caves are natural openings in hills of submarine limestone rock. Some of them are over 1,000 feet in height and have precipitous sides. It is reported that large boxes of Talaing palm-leaf manuscripts, which were originally hidden by patriotic Talaings to escapo destruction from the ruthless hands of the Burmese conquerore, are decaying in the sequestered parts of these caves.
[I fully endorse this plea for the preservation of the Taming language. It is rapidly disappearing before Burmese, and it is pitiable to note the absolute ignorange of many Talnings of their distinotive language. But historically it is quite a valuable an Burmese, if not more so. It is not desirable, speaking practically, to revive Talaing, but academically its preservation would be invaluable and obair in the Rangoon College might well be devoted to Talking and its epigraphy and literature.--Ed.] id=a in Italian cosa.
w in 'law. • Subsequently, I learnt from a priest of the Mahdyin kyaung (monastery) at Kado, that complete sets of Talaing manuscripts are being preserved in the Royal Libraries at Bangkok. It would be a good thing to obtain set for the Bernard Free Library at Rangoon. Perhaps the British Consul could be moved to prefer a request to
