1879.] V. A. Smith — Observations on some Ghandel Antiquities. 291 



depriving the building of the massive grandeur derived from the conquest 

 of structural difficulties by bold and simple architecture. 



Two only of the Khajuraho temples have self-supporting domes. One 

 of these is the unrestored temple of Kunwar Math, where the interior 

 diameter of the dome is 14 /- 9," and the other is the temple of Mritang 

 Mahadeo,* where the architect has succeeded in spanning, without any 

 extraneous support, a space with a diameter of 22 feet. 



The fine granite temple at Makarbai in Pargana Mahoba has a self- 

 supporting dome 15 ''3" in diameter. With these three exceptions, we have 

 not found any horizontal dome of more than 12 feet in diameter, built 

 without central support. 



It is somewhat remarkable that the Indian architects should not have 

 constructed larger domes of this kind, for the horizontal dome of the cele- 

 brated ' Treasury of Atreus' at Mycenae has an internal diameter of 48 

 feet.f 



The restorations at Khajuraho have been extensive both in the Jain 

 and Brahmanical temples, so extensive indeed that arguments based on an 

 examination of structural details require careful scrutiny. 



The most extensive restorations of the Brahmanical temples in recent 

 times were effected by Raja Partap Singh of Chhatarpur ; who died in 1854 

 A. D. and who left directions in his will that five rupees daily should con- 

 tinue to be spent on the repair of the buildings, directions which have not 

 been fully carried out. 



The restorations carried out under the orders of Raja Partap Singh 

 are, as a rule, judicious, and have maintained the general appearance and 

 outlines of the buildings without attempting to add any features not in- 

 cluded in the original design. 



The steeples (sihliaras) have been repaired with brick and mortar work, 

 showing a smooth surface, which does not correspond with the carving of 

 the old stone work, but, inasmuch as the outline has been carefully preserved, 

 and the plaster has got darkened by age, the repairs are seldom offensive to 

 the eye. In the temples of Kandariya Mahadeo, Vis'vanath, and Chatur- 

 bhuj they are scarcely visible till sought for, but in the temple of the Sun 

 and some others they are more clumsily executed. 



Many of the carved stones belonging to the steeples have been built 

 into walls and steps, though a little more care on the part of the masons 

 might perhaps have found the places to which the stones originally belong- 

 ed. 



* See Plate XVII for a plan of this building more detailed than that given by 

 General Cunningham. 



t E. Dobson's Treatise on Masonry and Stone-cutting, page 8. 



