Indian Antiquary Vol 11

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 10

4
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
consisting of an upright piHar or shaft with four curved branches, springing from about the centre, two on each side, each of them ending in a pointed knob or bud: possibly intended to represent some conventional symbol for a tree.
The compartment on each side of the centre contains the figure of a monstrous lion face, with tusks, and projecting eyeballs whence rise curved horns having some marks on the brow between them. These are very rudely and irregularly carved.
The two end compartments seem to have contained seated human figures-but much too decayed to be made out.
The left-hand compartment appears to have had a group of two or three more or less human figures-perhaps Šiva with his consort; whilst the right-hand one contained a single figure-perhaps that of Ganapati or Ganêsa, the son of Siva and
Pârvati.
Decay of the stone rather than wilful violence seems to have nearly obliterated these figures. The two end panels have two tall narrow niches, one on each side of them cut so as to leave a half sunk triangular flat ledge between two deep triangular holes.
The projecting lower border of the face has been highly ornamented, but the pattern is now indistinguishable.
Fig. 3 represents a large plain block of grey sandstone, 30" long, 15" high, and 9" thick. The only ornament on this stone is shewn in the sketch. In the centre of the face of the stone a raised plate about an inch in thickness, of ogee shape with a spreading base, has been left. Some Hindus from Poona present, recognized this ornament, calling it pand. From the centre of its base a round-headed pier or stump, with a spread ing base, is left standing, surrounded by a deep double groove, in the centre of which rises a rounded rope-like ridge. The rest of the raised
plate is ornamented by the deep curved holes, characteristic of the style. As this was the best preserved specimen characteristic of the style, the sketch was traced from the stone full size, and is reduced in the plate to one-fifth. A section of the upper part of the face of the stone is given in with the figure.
Fig. 4 is a reduced tracing and section of a block of stone, somewhat like the last described (Fig. 3). A plain deeply cut moulding divides the face of the stone longitudinally. The lower part is ornamented very effectively (considering the means used) with a continuous row of (slightly obtuse) triangles or pointed figures, adorned with symmetrically arranged little holes, very deep and cleanly cut so as to form a pattern. The upper part above the horizontal moulding had originally
[JANUARY, 1882.
a running scroll with a bold florid pattern in the bends, but in such slight relief that the decay of the stone has almost obliterated the carving.
Figs. 5 and 6 is a fluted (semidomical) crowning ornament to a pilaster or niche; 20" in diameter and 12" high. The execution of this was good, precise, and symmetrical.
Figs. 7-16. These rough little sketches are intended to shew the shape of sundry little fragments found amidst the debris left after the excavations, on the site of the Vijnôt temple.
Figs. 7, 8, and 9 shew the shape of the pointed stone finials belonging to the style, and the last a peculiar round capital with round-headed studs projecting from two deep grooves.
Fig. 16 shews one of a row of similar ornaments. It is intended to represent a deep broken or indented square pit, from the bottom of which rises the frustrum of a curved pyramid. This is very characteristic of the Sindhi style. Two of these were cuts in the face of a large block (28" x 8" x 10") at 20 inches apart, from centre to centre.
As equally characteristic of the style, although much more elaborate, these rude drawings of the capital and the base were taken from a pillar found at Sirwâhi (Seorai) in Bahawalpur, Panjab, and are represented about one-fifth of full size. The base (Fig. 18) was about a cube of 12 inches, the capital 11" high and 73" square. The four faces do not correspond exactly-one half of Fig. 18 was taken from one face and the other from another, in order to secure a better record of the work.
Figs. 19 and 20 were made from the carved face of a brick, and a half brick found at Pattanminår, in the southern part of Bahawalpur in the Panjab. There seem to have been rows of these carved brick heads, at intervals, on the walls of this ancient relic. It will be seen that Figs. 17-20 are all in the style of the Vijnôt stone carvings.
surface of the mounds:The following objects wer, picked up on the
Coins-principally copper, corroded beyond recognition, measuring about half an inch in diameter and one-tenth of an inch in thick. ness (weights 30 to 40 grains): these were the commonest, but there were others a little smaller silver coins were also found, about three-tenths weighing 17 to 22 grains. A few little rude of an inch in diameter and one-fourteenth of an inch thick, weighing 6 to 7 grains each. They are also very corroded, but have plainly had an impression on one or both sides: and what remains gives the idea of the human figure, or a couple, rather than of a legend with symbols.