Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 317

OCTOBER, 1923 ]
BOOK-NOTICES
301
BOOK-NOTICES. REPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, ARCHAEOLOGICAL Duroiselle holds that these symbols reached Burma
SURVEY OF BURMA, 1921-22, by CHAS. DUROISELLE. from the north-west and not, as one might suppose, Rangoon Government Press, 1922.
through the Nestorian Christians of Madras. After Like all Mr. Duroiselle's work, this Report is a succinct review of the available evidence he ascribes extraordinarily full and instructive; and it is
the presence of these crosses in the midst of a group to be hoped that the Government of India, under
of Mongolo-Chinese portraits to the influence of the now arrangements necessitated by the Reform
Christian soldiers serving in the army of the Great Scheme, will leave the Provincial Government and
Khan, who entered Pagan in A.D. 1287. The testimony its Archæological department to carry on unmo.
of Marco Polo appears to support this conclusion. lested the work they are now doing so woll. A
Space does not permit of more than a passing list of 102 ancient monuments in Burma, to be
roference to the subject of European influence maintained by the Imperial Government, has been
on the old paintings and carvings at Amarapura, prepared, ranging from the seventh century remains
which is discussed in the Report ; and we press at Prome to the comparatively modern structures
forward to the welcome announcement that the at Mandalay. If one may judge from tho very
Superintendent has nearly completed for publi. inadequate sum allotted by the Indian Government
cation a trustworthy guide book to the Palace at during the year under review for the conservation
Mandalay. No one is better qualified to explain of Burma's historical buildings, as well as from
the details of a structure which, in his own words, the evidence given in the report of the interest
is “the last, and only one preserved to us, of frequently taken by Burmans themselves in the
a long series of similar structures built by succeeding exploration and maintenance of their country's
dynasties at the numerous capitals of Burma.... antiquities, it is obviously closirable that Archæo.
Its plan is not merely old Indian, but rather pan. logy in Burma should be a provincial subject.
Asiatic, for its prototypes were lound scattered over As has been the case in India, careless vandalism
Avast stretch of country from Patna to Peking, on the part of the local authorities has still to be
and perhaps as far as Nineveh." Contemplation reckoned with and forestalled by the Archaeological
of the former home of Burmese Royalty may thus department. An instance occurred at Amarapura
perchance help towards a livelier conception of where, in defiance of the law, permission was granted
the appearance of the great Mauryan palace to a Muhammadan merchant to erect a factory
at Pataliputra in the days of Chandragupta and his on the site of the old palace; and though the
famous grandson, which itself seems to have been continuance of the work was ultimately prohibit.
an echo of the palaces of Babylonia and Assyria. ed at the instance of the Survoy, the remains of the
The year under review witnessed the completion ancient walls had already been dismantled to provide
of A list of European cemeteries and tombs a brick foundation for the approach to the factory.
in Burma, containing inscriptions anterior to Excavation at Sameikshe yielded among other
1858, the earliest record of this type being dated things a tablet of King Aniruddha (1044-1077),
1682, and also the provision of an inscribed marble a bronze Bodhisattva of the eleventh century, and a
tablet on the remains of the old East India Com. small votive tablet containing figures surmounted
pany's factory on Hainggyi island in Bassein. Other
noteworthy features of the Report are the list by a legend in North Indian characters, which, unfortunately, are too faint for decipherment.
of dates in the Burmese common era appearing It is clear that this region once contained an im
in the "Inscriptions of Pagan, Pinya and Ava"
with their English equivalents,-& work which has portant settlement, and further exploration of
beer admirably performed by Diwan Bahadur the numerous mounds a few miles from Sameik. she will probably give interesting results. At
L. D. S. Pillai Avargal of Madras,- and secondly, a Pagan other votive tablets were found containing
discussion of the legend of Wasundhaye, the Earth. legends in Sanskrit, Pali, Burmese and Talaing,
goddess, the origin of which, based as it seems to be which date back to the eleventh and twelfth cen
upon purely oral tradition, is at present undetermin. turies, and it is proposed to publish full details of
ed. A valuable contribution by Mr. San Shwe Bu, them, as well as of many similar tablets unearthed
honorary archæological officer for Arakan, forms the during the last few years, in Epigraphir Birmanica.
conclusion of a record upon which the Government The pictures of Mongol soldiers, found at Pagan
of Burma can be heartily congratulated.
S. M. EDWARDES. in company with a portrait of a Buddha seated in European fashion in a high chair, are wonder- LATER MUCHALA, by W. IRVINE, L.C.S. (Retd.); fully lifelike and give a very good idea of Kublai edited by JADUNATH SARKAR, I.E.S., vol. I, Khan's warriors. Equally interesting are the repre- 1707-20; vol. II, 1709-39. Calcutta: M. C. Sarkar & Hentations of Christian crosses, which suggest the Song. London: Luzac & Co. preberice of Christians in the Buddhist metropolis We welcome an edition of the late William Irvine's between the sixth and thirteenth centuries, Mr. Later Mughals, edited by Professor J. Sarkar, whose