CXVi - Archeological Survey Report. 
all fused into huge heaps; and this has happened more than once.” 
Major Kittoe repeated this opinion in almost the same words when I 
saw him at Gwalior in September, 1852. I will recur to this subject 
again before I conclude my account of the discoveries at Sarnath. 
270. On Major Kittoe’s departure from Benares, the excavations 
were continued at first under Mr. E. Thomas, and afterwards under 
Professor FitzHdward Hall. To the former gentleman we are indebt- 
ed for a general account of the state of the excavations at the time 
of his assuming charge, and more especially for a very clear and 
interesting description of the ancient monastery which was then being 
exhumed, and of the various articles which were discovered within 
its precincts. This work was subsequently completed by Mr. Hall, and 
Thave made a plan of the building as it now appears. Mr. Thomas calls 
it an “old Buddhist monastery,” and with this identification I fully 
agree. According to Hwen Thsang, there were no less than 39 
monasteries about the Deer Park at Benares, which together con- 
tained 8,000 monks, or an average of 100 monks each. Now the 
building under review contains no less than 28 separate apartments, 
and if one of these be set aside as a shrine for a statue of Buddha, and 
a second as a hall for teaching, there will remain 26 eells for the 
accommodation of monks. Again, judging from the thickness of* the ~ 
walls, I am of opinion that the building could not have been less 
than 8 or 4: stories in height. Assuming the latter to have been the 
actual height, the building would have contained 104 cells, and there- 
fore may possibly have been one of the 30 monasteries noted by 
Hwen Thsang. 
271. The ground plan of the monastery shows a central court, 50 
feet square, surrounded by pillars which must have supported an open 
verandah or cloister in front of the four ranges of cells. In the north- 
east corner of the court-yard there is an old well, 4 feet 10 inches in 
diameter, and 37 feet deep. As this well is placed on one side, I 
infer that the middle of the court was occupied by a stupa, or a statue, 
or more probably perhaps by a holy tree, as I could not find any 
traces of the foundation of a building. On the outside, the building 
is 107 feet square. In the centre room on the north side, which is 
18 feet in length, there are two large stones placed against the walls 
as if intended for the reception of statues. This also was Mr. Thomas's 
opinion. This room I believe to have been the shrine of the monas- 
