,1896.] G. A. Grierson — Report on investigation at Bddh-0'aya. 59 



boclhi, page 8) represents a vase placed above a plinth composed of tliree 

 steps, and surmounted by a parabolic moulding witb an octagonal top for 

 tlie reception of an octagonal column. It would be more correct to speak 

 of the top as circular with an octagonal recess cut in the top surface to 

 receive the cohxmn. The annexed figures show (figure 4) a plan of the 

 circular top, drawn to a scale of one inch to a foot, and (figure 5) an 

 elevation of the whole. The rim is marked with four radial lines on 

 the top surface of the outer edge or lip. These are evidently marks for 

 orienting the vase, as they point north, south, east and west respectively. 

 They are shown on the plan (figure 4). The letter ka on No. J is cut 

 on the outer edge of the rim, below, and about an inch and a half to the 

 east of the northern Hue. In Nos. 5 and 7 the letters are also on the 

 cuter rim, but exactly under the northern line. 



No. 1. — This is in good order, and the ka is cut clearly on the 

 ■northern side of the rim Mr. Beglar has set up on it an octagonal 

 ipillar shaft, which evidently belonged to one of the series of vases. 

 It is figured in Plate IV of Cunningham's Mahabodhi, and described 

 by the author in page 9 of that work. I give a sketch of it in figure 6. 



Cunningham says that this pillar shaft was marked with the 

 Pali letter a, and that it was originally fixed in the base No. 1 of the 

 gouth row (now in the Indian Museum). On examining the shaft, I do 

 find a trace of that letter. At one place, just above a chipped place, 



• there are two marks, thus -x z'. These are most probably the remains 

 of the letter a (^) lying on its side, as is the case in the letter on the 

 corresponding pedestal (see page 2). Figure 7 is a photograph of the 

 rubbing of this mark. 



No. 2. — This is badly damaged. The west side is knocked off. 

 Only portions of the eastern and of the southern rims remain. No 

 masons' mark visible. As already pointed out, this pillar's base differs 

 jErom the other's in its general designs, being octagonal and not circular. 



No. 3. — This is the one on which General Cunningham says he 

 found the letter ga. The northern and the southern rims have been 

 phipped off, and no masons' mark is now visible. 



No. 4. — Badly damaged. Of the rim, only portions of east and 

 ■west sides remain. No masons' mark. 



No. 5. — Also badly damaged. The northern and eastern rims 

 are, however, nearly complete. On the northern face of the rim, just 



under the northern orientation mark, is the lettter j [, which Cun- 



ningham perhaps read as ga, and said was on No. 3. 



No, 6. — In fair condition, but the northern and eastern parts of the 



