The Journal of the Siam Society Vol. LXIV, Part 1-2, 1976 - Khamkoo

322 REVIEW ARTICLE
Dr. C.E. Godakumbura, who succeeded Dr. Paranavitana as
Archaeological Commissioner when the latter retired, but has now retired
himself, took me to the Library, the Museum and the Archaeological
Service in Colombo. I was shown some inscriptions, estampages and
photographs with interlinear writing. There is no doubt that there are
interlinear writing, even if nobody but Paranavitana could read them.
But the numerous texts that the professor produced could not possibly
have all been written on the stones, so in reply to one or two questions,
Dr. Godakumbura stated that Paranavitana definitely had documents
which he bad not divulged, probably at the linsistance of the man who
supplied them. They might have come into his hands illicitly. Dr.
Godakumbura then explained that when Paranavitana got stuck on a
passage, he would ask for estampages of that particular part and not of
the whole inscription, so that be could check passages in his reading.
There is confirmation of this from Peradeniya. While the professor was
at that Campus, be did not go prancing all over the island looking at
inscriptions, but worked quietly in his room. As it happened, before
leaving Peradeniya, the professor made public, or rather strongly hinted
at, the existance of decuments, but to get the full significance of his
remarks it is necessary to read carefully between the lines. I will give
just one example, from the last paragraph of a paper mimeographed in
1964 and subsequently published in 1967 (see above.)
"In the case of some (documents), the fact that they have
been recorded on stone is taken from statements made to that
effect, incised on stones other than those on which they have been
written. Of the documents of historical importance, too, only a
small fraction bas been fully deciphered, though that will be
enough, when properly edited, translated and annotated, to form
a large volume."
Professor Paranavitana died suddenly, with another book commissioned
by Lake House still unfinished. He had made a will leaving his
estate to the Public Trustee, who was to sell the property and set up a
fund to help needy scholars who were researching on the subjects be
was interested in. The only thing to do was to see the Public Trustee,
so an appointment was made, an~ w~ went. The .party consist~q of Mr,