stone box, 5 inches in height, 6 bottom, and only 5 inches at top. inches broad at The chamber, which is 3 inches deep and 4 inches wide, contained nothing save a small quantity of black ashes and something like calcined nut-shells. The lid of the box is 2 inches in height, domed, and slightly hollowed beneath. See Plate XXVIII., fig. 6. Three feet beneath this deposit, and on a level with the terrace, we found a second chamber, somewhat slightly formed, containing a hemispherical red earthenware vessel 10 inches in diameter turned with the mouth downwards. Beneath this was a second vessel of red earthenware, 8 inches in diameter, containing a black earthenware bowl 7 inches in diameter and 3 inches in height. Lastly, inside the bowl there was a black earthenware vase 5 inches in diameter and 4 inches in height, with a small lid of the same material.* This vase was empty. See Plate XXVIII., fig. 7. NO. 2 TOPE.-ANDHER. 5. One hundred and twenty feet to the south-east of the last, there is a second Tope of much smaller dimensions, but in a much more perfect state than these buildings are usually met with. The base of the dome, which is 18 feet 10 inches in diameter, rests on a cylindrical plinth 4 feet in height above the terrace, which is 4 feet 4 inches broad and 6 feet The glaze of these black vessels is beautifully smooth, and of a bright metallic lustre. high. It is reached by a double flight of steps, 4 feet 8 inches broad, each step being 6 inches high and 14 inches in width. The whole height of the Tope as it now stands, is only 14 feet 7 inches.* 6. A shaft was sunk down the centre of the Tope to the depth of 3 feet, when we found the chamber 1 foot broad and 1 foot deep. The sides of this chamber were not in the meridian as usual, but bore 57 deg. and 147 deg. E. and W. respectively. Inside we found a large box of red earthenware, 9 inches in diameter and 74 inches in height,† containing a small flat casket of red earthenware and a tall steatite casket, both inscribed. Beside the earthenware box, and mixed with the leaves and rubbish which half filled the chamber, we found a large steatite vase with the neck partly broken, but luckily with the inscription complete. This chamber had evidently been opened before by the villagers. 7. The flat earthenware casket is 3 inches in diameter, and nearly 14 inch in height. The inscription on the outside of the lid is partially obliterated, but by supplying a few letters, the sense is easily completed. Sapurisasa Váchhiputasa Gotiputa Atevásino. '(Relics) of the emancipated VÁCHHI-PUTRA (son of Vachhi), the pupil of GOTI-PUTRA.” The relics of VÁCHHI himself were found in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi. * See Plate XXIX., figs. 1 and 2. + Plate XXIX., fig. 4. Plate XXIX., fig. 5. 8. The tall steatite casket is 34 inches in diameter at bottom, and 2 inches at top, with a height of 51⁄2 inches. It is ornamented on the outside by bands of moulding, between which the whole surface is divided into triangles, alternately plain and barred. The inscription on the top of the lid is Sapurisasa Gotiputasa Kákanava Pabhásanasa Kodinyegotasa. "(Relics) of the emancipated son of GOTI, KAKANAVA PRABHASANA, of the race of KODINI (or Kohudinya.)" In my account of the discoveries made in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi, I have already stated all that I can suggest regarding Kakanava Prabhasan, who was the donor of Váchhi Suvijayata's relics to the Sánchi fraternity. 9. The large steatite vaset is made of two pieces, which were fastened together with lac. Its ornaments are similar to those of the great vase found in No. 2 Tope at Sonári; but the Andher vase has a narrow neck and no lid, and was once furnished with a spout, for which the hole still remains. No trace of this spout could be found in the relic-chamber, but I presume that it was similar to those which are represented in the Sánchi bas-reliefs. See Plate XXXIII, figs. 20 and 21. On the upper rim of the neck there is the following inscription: Sapurisasa Mogaliputasa Gotiputu Atevásino. "(Relics) of the emancipated MOGALIPUTRA, the pupil of GOTI PUTRA." 10. Every thing that I can collect regarding this + Plate XXIX., fig. 8. * Plate XXIX., fig. 3. celebrated personage has already been mentioned. As the pupil of Gotiputra, he was of course a contemporary of Goti's other son, Kákana Prabhásan; and it is therefore very natural that we should find their relics enshrined together. This Tope must of course be of the same age as No. 2 at Sánchi, or rather a few years later, as Kákanava Prabhásan was still alive when the latter was erected. The date may therefore be fixed with some certainty in 200 B. C., when the religious enthusiasm excited by the zeal and example of Asoka was still fervent. NO. 3 TOPE.-ANDHER. 11. This little Tope, which was the last that we had the pleasure of examining, was likewise one of the most complete in its preservation, and one of the most interesting in its contents. It stands to the north-west of the other two, at a distance of rather more than 200 feet. The base of the dome is only 15 feet in diameter, and the whole height of the Tope is just 12 feet.* The base stands on a cylindrical plinth 3 feet above the terrace, which is 4 feet in width and the same in height. On the east there is a landing place, 6 feet by 4 feet, which is reached by a double flight of steps, 3 feet 2 inches in width. 12. A shaft was sunk as usual down the centre of the Tope, and the relic-chamber was reached at a height of 1 foot 8 inches above the terrace. The See Plate XXX., figs. 1 and 2. chamber was 14 inches long by 13 inches broad, and the same in height. The side stones were placed so as to overlap at one end, thus forming a Swástika or mystic cross of the relic-chamber. See Plate XXX., figs. 3 and 4. Inside there was a large box of thin red earthenware, 74 inches high and 7 inches broad, containing a tall steatite casket,* similar to that of Kákanava, which was found in the Tope just described. This casket, however, is quite plain on the outside, with the exception of the ornamental bands. It is quite full of fragments of burnt bone. On the outside is carved the following inscription: Sapurisasa Háritíputasa. "(Relics) of the emancipated HARITIPUTRA (son of Hárití).” Inside the lid is the following inscription, written in ink: Asa Devasa dánam. "Gift of Aswa-Deva." 13. The relics of Háriti-putra were therefore presented to the Andher fraternity by Aswa Deva. As another portion of his relics was found in No. 2 Tope at Sánchi, enshrined in the same casket with those of Majhima and Kásapa Gota, the two missionaries to the Hemawanta, there can be little doubt that he was a contemporary of those once celebrated men; and that he was one of the principal Buddhist teachers of the age of Asoka. The date of the Tope may there See Plate XXX., fig. 6. |