XXXIV 



Meport of the Archwological Survey. 



itself about 2i miles distant from the south gate, to the westward of 

 Dinpandh, or Purdna Kilah. 



63. According to the popular belief, this pillar was thrown down 

 by an accidental explosion of a powder magazine in the time of 

 Farokhsiar, who reigned from A. D. 17 J 3 to 1719. This tradition is 

 rendered almost certain by the statements of Padre Tieffenthaler, who 

 resided in India between A. D. 1743 and 1786. He saw the pillar 

 lying just as it is now, in five pieces, but he was informed that it was 

 standing erect not long before, and that it was thrown down by an 

 explosion of gunpowder. 



64. The inscriptions on this pillar are very imperfect, owing to 

 the mutilated and worn surface of the stone. Such portions as remain, 

 have been carefully examined by James Prinsep, who found them to 

 be " so precisely the duplicates" of the other inscription, that he did 

 not think " it worth while to make them the subject of a separate 

 note." # The remaining portions, which correspond with parts of the 

 inscriptions on the north, south, and west faces of the other pillar, have 

 been lithographed by Prinsep in Plate XLII. Vol. VI. of this Journal. 



65. The Iron Pillar of Delhi, which is the next work in point of 

 antiquity, is one of the most curious monuments in India. Many 

 large works in metal were no doubt made in ancient times, such, for 

 instance, as the celebrated Colossus of Rhodes, and the gigantic statues 

 of the Buddhists, which are described by Hwen Thsang. But all of 

 these were of brass or copper, all of them were hollow, and they were 

 all built up of pieces rivetted togther, whereas the .Delhi Pillar is a 

 solid shaft of mixed metal upwards of 16 inches in diameter, and about 

 50 feet in length. It is true that there are flaws in many parts, which 

 show that the casting is imperfect ; but when we consider the extreme 

 difficult}?" of manufacturing a pillar of such vast dimensions, our wonder 

 will not be diminished by knowing that the casting of the bar is • 

 defective. The total height of the pillar above ground is 22 feet, but 

 the smooth shaft is only 15 feet, the capital being 3i feet, and the 

 rough part of the shaft below also 3| feet. But its depth under ground 

 is considerably greater than its height above ground, as a recent 

 excavation was carried down to 26 feet without reaching the founda- 

 tion on which the pillar rests. The whole length of the Iron Pillar 

 is therefore upwards of 48 feet, but how much more, is not known, 



* Journal of Asiatic Society of Bengal, VI, 794. 



