1840.] Gems from Kandahar 99 



and beasts, and copper, silver, and a few gold coins ; the former 

 chiefly Caliphate and Sassanian. A potful just dug up, was 

 brought to us from Peeshawroon, but they were every one 

 entirely destroyed by rust ; we did not get one gold coin. 



12. The Trisul, with a half-moon. 



13. A very rude Buddhist sitting figure. 



14. Brought on the same string with No. 10. Sculpture 

 very rude. Obverse, apparently the Buddhist figure of the o o 



series of coins ; the other face, unless it be meant for two birds, 

 I can make nothing of. Figures of birds and beasts on agate, 

 cut on copper seals and imaged in copper, are found in such 

 quantities in every old town all over Afghanistan, and so exactly 

 similar, that they alone, if no other proof were at hand, would 

 suffice to shew the former universality of the Buddhist creed. 

 Animals of all descriptions are found. 



15 and 16. Two copper seals have, the first, a griffin ; the 

 other a Brahmunee bull. 



17. Is from a copper ring, which resembles in some points 

 the circles of animals found in Ceylon, at Behat, &c. On it may 

 be perceived the hog, cat, two cocks, &c. &c. It was probably 

 dug up from the Eimak hills above Herat, which besides nu- 

 merous small idols of stone and metal, furnish cylinders like 

 those of Babylon,* with arrow-headed inscriptions. I regret to 

 have at present none to send you. The reverse of 17 seems to 

 represent flying figures. 



18. Is a seal. Are the letters Cufic ? 



The next paper on the subject of the antiquities, will I hope 

 be better worth your attention ; just now I have nothing of 

 interest to forward, and am much pressed for time, being here 

 a mere traveller en route to Caubul. Yours sincerely, 



KHAN ALL 



* Note. — One of these cylinders was with the permission of the owner, 

 Major Pottinger, laid before the Society at the last meeting with a collec- 

 tion of gems and coins from Herat : I trust to have it in my power to com- 

 pare it with a Babylonish cylinder. Drawings of it and some of the gems 

 are under preparation by Lieut. Kittoe, who has with his usual kindness 

 undertaken to enable me to insert them in the Journal. 



