1865.] Beport of the Archaeological Survey. 257 



refers when he states that " the temple of Shi-hioan (read Shi-to hwan," 

 or Jetavana) " had originally seven stories. Canopies and streamers 

 were hung np, flowers were scattered, perfumes burned, lanterns sup- 

 plied the place of day, and even in clay time were never extinguished. 

 A rat having taken into its mouth the wick of one of these lanterns, 

 set fire to the flags and to the drapery of the pavilions, and the seven 

 stories of the temple were utterly consumed." This occurred some 

 time before A. D. 400, as Fa Hian adds that " they reconstructed the 

 temple, and when they had completed the second story, they installed 

 the statue in its former place." From this account I infer, though 

 somewhat doubtfully, that the new temple was not more than two 

 stories in height. I conclude also that the place was already on the 

 decline, as a little more than two centuries later, when visited by Hwen 

 Thsang, it was found utterly ruined and deserted. 



338. The great mound of ruins, which I propose to identify with 

 the Jetavana, is situated just half a mile distant from the south-west 

 corner of the old city. It is rectangular in form, being 1,000 feet 

 long from north-east to south-west, and 700 feet broad. It is worth 

 noting, as it is most probably not accidental, that the central line of the 

 rectangle falls upon a lofty mound, inside the south-west angle of the 

 city, called Sobhndth, which, according to some, is a name of Mahadeva. 

 The shape of the monastery is defined by a gentle rise all round the 

 edge of the mound, which I take to represent the ruins of the monks' 

 cells that once formed the surrounding walls of the enclosure. The 

 highest part, which is the south side, is not more than 12 feet above 

 the neighbouring ground, while the other sides are not more than eight 

 or ten feet. But the Avhole area was so thickly covered with jungle, 

 that I found it difficult to take even a few measurements. During 

 my stay at Sahet I cut pathways to all the ruined eminences within 

 the enclosure, and after clearing the jungle around them, I began an 

 excavation in each to ascertain the nature of the original building. 

 "With the largest mound, which was near the south end of the central 

 line of the enclosure, I was unsuccessful. It was 15 feet in height, 

 and looked the most promising of all, but I found nothing but earth 

 and broken bricks, although I was assured by the people that numbers 

 of large bricks had been carried away from it at different times. Both 

 from its size and position, I am inclined to look upon this mound as 



