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CHRONOLOGY OF GUJARAT
phase, the whole level of the monastery was raised by about 4 feet by filling with fresh yellow silt. At this phase the outer wall of the monastery and the compound-wall were joined, and a thick outer wall about 12 feet wide, with mouldings on the outer face, was constructed.
The last phase of the stupa marks a definite deterioration of the maintenance, and the walls were reconstructed in a very crude way; sometimes even broken bricks were used. Besides, the sizes of the bricks on the floor of the third period were slightly smaller than the rest. The most interesting evidence, however, is provided by the main drain in the NorthAs the floor-levels and plinth-levels were raised, the drain-level was also raised. Thus we see the drains of the three periods at one spot on the outer wall.
Coins: A number of coins were found from the debris of the stupa as well as of the Vihara. On the floor associated with the 2nd phase were found nine silver coins of the Kṣatrapas. As the regnal years are not given, it is not possible to assign the exact years. However, one of them belongs to Viśvasena, who ruled from 293-305 A.D.. The other coins belong to Rudrasena; but it is difficult to decide to which Rudrasena of the Western Kṣatrapa dynasty it belongs. Similarly, there is another name ending "Dannah" which is equally vague.
The most interesting coin is one of Sarva Bhaṭṭārka, the founder of the dynasty of Maitrakas of Valabhi, found in the debris of the stapa. Thus on numismatic evidence it is safe to infer that the stapa and the vihara were built in the early 3rd century and it lasted upto the beginning of the 7th century A.D..
Pottery: This numismatic evidence is also borne out by the pottery. It includes large number of fragments of the Red Polished Ware, dated from a number of sites in Gujarat to the 1st five centuries of the Christian Era. A number of typical sprinklers and spouts were recovered, one of the sprinklers is in the characteristic Kaolin ware as at Vadnagar and Kopḍāpur (Andhra).
Other antiquities: The most interesting one was a Terracotta Seal showing the figure of the stapa in the centre with two Bodhisattvas (?), referred to above. One of them seems to be Bodhisattva Padmapani. This figure will be very useful for the ultimate. reconstruction of the stapa, and agrees very well in proportions to the remnants of the stapa.
A large number of iron-nails and tile-fragments suggest the nature of the roof. The tile is a flat one, about 10" X 6", and has two holes similar to the tiles of the Satavahana period from Kolhapur and from Intvä, near Girnar.
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