1837.] Facsimiles of Ancient Inscriptions. 871 



eight, but the first is unknown and of a complex form : its central 

 part reminds us of the equally enigmatical numeral in one of the 

 Bhilsa inscriptions. It may perhaps designate in a cipher the word 

 anke ^^, ' in numerals' thus purporting 'in the year of Saka, hundreds, 

 numerically 8, and thirty over/ A fertile imagination might again 

 convert the cipher into the word ^psr^, eight, afterwards expressed 

 in figures ; but I must leave this curious point for future elucidation, 

 wavering between 630 and 830 for the date of the document, which 

 in either case is of considerable antiquity and indeed one of the most 

 ancient of such records yet brought to light containing a date. 



I now subjoin Mr. Ommanney's transcript and translation with the 

 modifications I have before alluded to. 



On the Seal, fft^TT^K: 



First page. 



^tePreiPraf ^orecpsft ^frjireir- itew i^ftp ■Erfacnr 



Second page. 



Third page. 



* The metre requires here an addition of 12 letters to the 9 found in the ori- 

 ginal to complete the Sardula vikririta verse. These Kamala'ka'nta would 

 supply thus : ^T^T 5 ^ I^PIiT^J of Jlcff * the moon of the happiness of the 

 wise.' 



5 s 2 



