The so-called "Elephant Wall" of Ruvanvälisǟya is located inside the courtyard that is enclosed by the outer wall with gate-houses at the four cardinal points. It was circa 7 feet high (or 9 feet according to some sources) and had been decorated with a row of heads (with trunks and tusks) and the front legs of elephants; the wall supported the terrace of the Stūpa. Badly damaged, the elephant sculptures have now been reconstructed. The area is still under restoration. The "Elephant wall" covers the space between a sand terrace and the terrace of stone slabs. There were 344 elephant figures, each 9 feet in height. The wall measured 475 x 477 feet.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.