376 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Benzal. [N.S., XIX, 
The abandonment of the theory of Newar era led Mr. Las- 
kar to determine the date of the inscriptions with the aid of 
paleography. He referred them “ to the eighth or ninth century 
A D.” and observed that ‘ the script employed in these inscrip- 
na looks generally older than those used in the inscriptions 
of the Pala and Sena kings of Bengal.’' Mr. R. D. Banerji 
dissented from this view and was led, on paleographic con- 
siderations, to place these inscriptions in the tenth century 
On the other hand Messrs. N. N. Basu* and N. 
Bhattasali* have referred the plates to the seventh century A.D. 
mainly on the Chinese testimony to which a detailed reference 
will be made later on. Mr. R. G. Basak, too, on paleograph- 
ic considerations referred the plates to the period between 
the last ayater of the seventh and the middle of the eighth 
century A.D.° 
Yow all the scholars are in agreement as to the reading of 
the date 13 in both the records. But it will appear to anyone 
who compares the two records, that the two numeral figures in 
L. 15 of plate A are quite different from those in L. 23 of 
- plate B, although both have been read as 13. Further, that 
while the first numeral figure in L. 15 of plate A resembles the 
sign for J0 (cf. Biihler’s chart, plate IX, Cols. XIII and XIX), 
the first numeral figure i in L. 23 of plate B does not resemble, 
in the least, any sign for 10 hitherto known to us. So far as 
know, the only figure resembling it is that for 7 in the Nepalese 
Manuscript No. 1702 (Bendall’s catalogue of Buddhist Sanskrit 
Manuscripts-Chart of figure-numerals, the second form for 7). 
Again, while the second numeral] figure in Plate A is ordinary 
form for 3, that in plate B is a little different. It may no 
doubt be read as 3, (cf. Biihler’s Chart, pl.IX Col. XX), but it 
may also be read 9 (Ibid Cols. IX, XX1). I may add that the 
Mr. Laskar as a sign for 5 should more properly be taken e 
chart). The vores in plate B should be thus read as ‘‘ year 79 
(or 73) a 
‘age eae incongruous to some that while Plate A 
contains: IBitex hiunéeats, figure-numerals should have been 
mployed in Plate B. But this is a well-known ig ape 
ae the [lore remarks of ee Bendall are to the 
. observe then, first and generally, the Pe arkable 
Sint Vatnn of the Nepalese Buddhists in Breceryine, F side age 

‘ Ibid, p. 86. 2 Eeagiee ihes Itihas, p. 207. 
Banglar cde Itihasa (Rajanya- a-Kanda), p. 147. 
+ JR. rch 1914, A forgotten kingdom of East Bengal ; Dacca 
neat January, 1922 yp. 
ahitya, 1321, pp. 468, 469; Prachi, Vol. I, part I, p. 
_ § Bendall’s 3 Catalogue of Buddhist Sanskrit Seana gas Introduc- 
tion, p. LIIL. 
pL > ee en eee 
