(SKU: LSB10086E7) In the later phases of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, guard stones were engraved with representations of cobras. These stones were placed in strategic locations. The guard stone that can be found at the Kuttam Pokuna in Anuradhapura is often considered to be the most impressive specimen of its kind. The ancient Sinhalese people believed that the snake was a god who had control over water. It is possible that this is the reason why many of the guard stones depicting pictures of cobras have been discovered in locations that are set near bodies of water. Archaeologists and historians have hypothesised that the carvings of the cobra with five heads might be a representation of the five senses sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch that, according to Buddhism, are required for an individual to be able to sense desire.
