Indian Antiquary Vol 52

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

Page 319

OCTOBER, 1923)
BOOK--NOTICES
303
The exhibits herein described Pomprise many with the amount spent during the five years im. figures of Buddha, in varying conditions of pre- mediately preceding the outbreak of War. As servation, dating from the seventh to the tenth one would naturally suppose, the Archaeological centuries A.D. No. 19, which was found in a stupa of Department, like other departments, has suffer. the seventh century, is declared to have originally ed from lack of funds and from the great rise in belonged to a shrine of the arly Gupta period rates and wages which has occurred since 1915. and to have been placed in the stupa as an object In consequence, in the Northern Circle alone about of special veneration when the shrine fell into 120 estimates for repairs, amounting to decay. Instances of the practice of burying older seven lakhs of rupees, were awaiting allotmont cult images in stupas have been met with at other of funds at the close of 1919-20. Nevertheless sites examined by the Archeological Survey, and 1 the Department has much solid work to its credit, together with the characteristics of the figure and has occasionally been assisted by generous itseli, serve to establish the probability of its later donors like the Maharajadhiraja of Burdwan, enshrinement in the stupa. The catalogue also who paid for the construction of a chattri to mark describes (No. 32) a statue of a corpulent male the site of the tomb of the Empress Jodh Bai, figure seated on a four-legged chair, which is wife of Jahangir. In the Panjab & small monusupposed to represent Jambhala. One of the ment was erected to mark the site of the Kiln of most important exhibits in the Roofed Hall is Buddhu, who was brickmaker at the Court of the Capital of an Asoko Column, on which geese Jahangir and played an active part in the build. and lions are depicted with remarkable fidelity ing of that Emperor's city of Lahore. The Jain to nature; another is a standard bowl of Mauryan community of Jhansi have agreed to provide the workmanship, pieced together from fragments funds required for the repair of the Jain temple and partially restored. Some of the fragments in the Fort at Deogarh- work which could not of stupa gateways are remarkable, as also are be undertaken during the year under review owing the relics, here shown, of the Early Kushan and to the prevalence of famine in the district. The Gupta schools. A. 83, for example, contains Western Circle was more fortunnte, for the Gov. an inscription in Brahmi characters below the ernor of Bombay decided to raise the Local sculptures, which are ascribed to the Mathura Government's contribution towards the school, and date back to Kushan dominion in the repair and maintenance of monuments from second century A.D. In the inscription appears Rs. 40,000 to Rs. 80,000, to which the Government the name of an unknown King-Vasnushana-who, of India added a grant-in-aid of Rs. 18,500. it is suggested, may have been a foreigner Much necessary work was thus rendered possible who assumed power in Mathura after the fall of on the famous relics in Bijapur, Champaner, Vasudeva Kushan.
Ahmadabad and other places. A protecting wall Other antiquities include iron spearheads
was partially completed round the site of the daggers, arrowheads, monastic and household
famous Gol Gumbaz, and the precincts were
entirely cleared of prickly pear, cactus, and the utensils, knifo blades, razors, artisan's tools and
ruins of mud huts which had accumulated for a variety of bronze and copper objects. Parti. cularly interesting is an ancient "smoothing
centuries in the courtyard. Débris, trees and ploughshare," intended to be worked by bullocks,
boulders were likewise removed from the Ele. and used for removing old stubblo from the fields.
phanta Caves in Bombay harbour, which have A special section is devoted to early glazed pottery
for years been neglected, despite their archeodating from the third century B.C. to the
logical importance and their popularity A8 A first century A.D., and to the terra cottas found
visitors' resort. on the site. The catalogue is illuminated and
The report mentions an interesting Account embellished by a set of excellent photographic
by Mr. Longhurst of the palaces within the Chan. plates, of which Nos. III, V, VIII, X, XIV, XV
dragiri fort in the Chittur District, which appear and XVIII are particularly interesting. Sir John
to belong to the seventeenth century. Whatever their Marshall and his assistants have produced in this
precise age may be, there is little doubt that "it catalogue a handy volume of permanent value
was to this place that the royal house of Vijaya. to antiquarians and others who visit Sanchi.
nagar betook their fallen fortunes towards the S. M. EDWARDES.
close of the sixteenth century." The King's Palace
derives special interest from the fact that " in ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF 1639 a king named Ranga, who was ryling in
ARCHÆOLOGY IN INDIA, 1919-20, by SIR JOHN Chandragiri, heard that the English, who in 1625 MARSHALL, KT., C.I.E. Calcutta : Superinten- had moved their factory from Masulipatam to dent, Government Printing, India, 1922.
Armegaum, were dissatisfied with the results This report opens with a succinct survey of the of their trade in that place. An invitation was expenditure incurred during the year upon the therefore sent by the Kalahasti Poliger to Mr. conservation of ancient monuments, as compared Day, the Superintendent of the Company's Factory