Indian Antiquary Vol 59

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 186

170
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
SEPTEMBER, 1930
frescoes, which are perhaps the result of a landsman's faulty observation. It is interesting to note that the ship of the Parva Avadana fresco is, according to the story, a Sopara merchantman. At Kânheri the latest of the caves is a little earlier than any of the medieval caves at Ajanta, and there are fragmentary remains of fresco-painting in the Ajanta manner. From the top of the hill at Kanheri the coastal shipping is clearly visible on a fine day, and what is more, the place itself is within sight of the inain road from Sopara to the Nana ghat and so to Junnar, Paithan, Ajanta and the north. During this period Sopâra, it is true, was declining before Thana and Kalyan, ports which directly served the whole series of passes from the Thal ghat for Nasik and Manmåd, the Malsej and Nana ghats for Paithan, and the Kusur and Bhor ghats for the south. Sopåra must have relied mainly on the Thal ghat, a mere tributary of the great NarbadA valley trade-route from Broach. A possible connection may be suggested between the fresco-painters of inland Ajanta and Kênheri. D. HORSE FURNITURE
Horse-furniture is well illustrated at Ajanta. According to Sir John Marshall, stirrups are to be seen in the Sanchi bas reliefs, a reference which is quoted by Dr. Coomaraswamy with regard to a railing-pillar medallion in the Boston Museum, in which, he claims, stirrups are also depicted. 19 However that may be contested, for in the Boston sculpture the foot seems simply to be thrust thrcugh a suroingle which is worn over the usual flat blanket-like early saddle. At Ajanta stirrups are not to be found. The saddle, however, complete with girth, crupper and breast-band, is a very modern, comfortable affair. Two variations of bridle appear: both have brow-band and throat-lash, but one, used with a long-armed bit, has a double nose-band, while the other has a single nose-band and is more difficult to understand. No bit is visible and the reins seem to be fastened in some way to the bridle, in which case the little ornamental check-rosettes were probably armed on the inside. The reins were held undivided and vertically up and down after the Spanish-American fashion. Adornment was provided by head-bells, plumes and tassels. E. ARMS
Arms at Ajanta do not vary very much. Spears are short with triangular blades and ferrules. The daggers are all of one type, with a triangular blade and shaped grip. The recurved blades of the modern peshqabz and bichwa do not occur, nor is the Rajpût kaçar, with its transverse grip and side-guards, to be found. In the Sinhala fresco there is a doublebladed vajra-like dagger and chakras are seen flying through the air. Three types of shield occur: (1) a small parrying shield, presumably of metal, (2) a round shield presumably of hide. and (3) a curved oblong shield with tasselled fringes at the side, which seems to have been made of black and white bamboo basket-work. The patterns of these long shields are most interesting and vary greatly. Round hide shields are common in modern India, elephant and rhinoceros hide being chiefly used. The little parrying shield to be seen at Ajanta is iconographical and appears in many Southern Indian sculptures. As a rule, the hill tribes do not use shields or armour, although quilted garments are said to have been worn and suits of armadillo-scale armour from Central India exist, exactly as represented in the early frescoes in Cave IX. From Chittagong and Tippera keystone-shaped shields of leather stretched on oros3 battens, with a central iron boss, are said to come, but there is no trace in modern India of the Ajanta bamboo basket-work shield.
Both composite and long bows are found at Ajanta. The modern Bhil longbow is usually fitted with a split bamboo string lashed with sinew or leather, and a quiver is carried with it. The Khonds, however, and many other of the hill tribes do not use a quiver when hunting, and hold their meagre supply of reserve arrows, together with the bow, in the left hand, exactly as does the hunter in the Chhadanta Jataka in Cave XVII.20
19 Marshall, Guide to Sanchi, 1. 138, n. 3. Coomaraswamy. Boston Museum Bulletin, xxiv, 69. The relief referred to is M. F. A., 26, 461, a railing-medallion in rod Mathur sandstone (KushAn).
30 Plato 63, I. S., 20, 1892.