1878.] H. Rivett-Carnac — Figure of BucWia from Sarndth. 67 



The block is of red Chunar sandstone, of the same character as that 

 employed in the well-known tracery which still ornaments the stupa. The 

 sketch has been drawn to scale, and it will be seen that the stone, in its 

 present state, is 2 feet, 4 inches in height by 1 foot, 8 inches in breadth, 

 and consists of a carved base 6 inches in height sm'rounded by a further 

 leaf-shaped base 5 inches in height, on which is a seated figure of Buddha. 

 The block has been much broken, but in the centre of the lower base the 

 lotus, " wheel-ornament" or " disc," so often seen on Buddhist carving, is 

 intact. The remains of what would appear to have been a pedestal, or sup- 

 port to the disc, similar to those which support the discs on the summit o£ 

 the Northern Gateway of Sanchi (see frontispiece, Fergusson's Tree and 

 Serpent Worship) can still be distinguished. On either side of the disc are 

 the remains of three figures. These figures have been much defaced, but 

 it would appear that, when intact, each figure had an arm placed on the 

 shoulder of its neighbour, an arrangement similar to what I recently noticed 

 on some old Buddhist pillars at Benares. 



The legs of the seated figures of Buddha are in fair preservation. They 

 are crossed in the conventional attitude. The soles of the feet are turned 

 up, and in the centre of each is carved a small flower (?). The arms 

 have been broken ofl;, but the thumb of the right hand is in good preserva- 

 tion, and the remains of the finger of the left hand are discernible, 

 suggesting that the figure was in the conventional form of " Buddha the 

 " teacher" as described by General Cunningham. The necklace which first 

 attracted Mrs. Murray- Aynsley's attention, is delicately carved and is in 

 good preservation. The head has been broken off, and, as with it the upper 

 portion of the block has been carried away, it is impossible to say whether 

 the head was ever surmounted by an aureole or not. 



At the back of the figure, the carved tracery which forms a panel on 

 each side of the seated Buddha, is preserved, and on the left hand side is 

 found the lower portion of a small carved figure, standing on a bracket 

 carved out of and forming part of the original block. Our time was limit- 

 ed, but some search was made in the hope of finding fragments of the head 

 aureole, or of other parts of the carving. Nothing was found. Careful and 

 more extended search would, however, doubtless bring many other interest- 

 ing remnants to light, and possibly the missing head of the figure. 



On the sketch will be found, drawn in blue, the outline of the niche, 

 and pedestal of one of the eight niches of the stupa, each niche being, ac- 

 cording to General Cunningham, 5|- feet in length, and the same in breadth. 

 The stone pedestals, which are still in situ in most of the niches, are a little 

 more than 1 foot in height and nearly 4 feet in length. The outlines of 

 niche and pedestal have been drawn to scale, below and around the sketch 



