________________ 457 The Archaeological Personality of Vaisali covered the largest area for archaeological activities at Vaisali. This time, not only Raja Visala ka Garh and Chakramdas, but Kharauna, Bania, Lalpura, Virpur, Bhimsen-ka-palla and Marpasauna were also undertaken for archaeological excavations. The objectives of the operations were (i) to trace out the boundary wall of the Abhisheka-Pushkarini (Kharauna Pokhar), (ii) to locate the Buddha relics stupa, (iii) to find out the existence of the defences, (iv) to ascertain the cultural sequence of the Raja Vilala ka Garb, (v) to search out the location of Buddhist viharas and other monuments, especially Sammatiya Vibara, where Hiuen Tsang had stayed, (vi) to locate the birthplace of Tirthankara Mahavira, and (vii) to know the art of building the mud stupa. The above-mentioned excavations revealed that there was a 3' 4" wide brick wall on all the four sides of the slope of the Kharauna Tank which is one of the characteristics of the Abhisheka-Pushkarini. About two feet below the wall on the southern side, there was a kankarrammed platorm; and copper cast coins and Sunga terracotta figurines were unearthed from the pre-platform level. The excavation of the small mound to the north-east of the Kharauna Tank revealed that under it was a stupa, built on the corporeal relics of the Buddha himself. The original stupa was of mud, which was in course of time, enlarged thrice with bricks. From the mid-point of the mud stupa a soapstone casket containing the Buddha's corporeal relics, one copper punch-marked coin, a small conch, two glass beads and one small piace of gold plate, was found and is now kept safe in the Patna Museum. The location of the stupa tallies with the description given in the accounts of Hiuen Tsang. The excavation of the Raja Visala ka Garh revealed three cultural periods of the rampart around the Garh, dating from the Sunga to the Gupta times. The mud rampart in period II measured 68' wide at the bottom and 21' broad at the top and was found preserved in 13' height. Inside the Garh, brick structures belonging to the Sunga, Kushana and Gupta periods were exposed. The structures of the sunga and Kushana periods were solid and strong whereas those of the Gupta times were of broken bricks. Sunga bricks measured 19'' x 10" X 3''. Military barracks were traced along with the rampart, where Kushana coins, arrow-beads, 58
