212 Notes, chiefly Geological, [No. 171. 



these singular sculptures which resemble,* as Mr. Fergusson justly 

 observes, in plan and design the Hindu series at Ellora, though many 

 of their details are only to be found at Ajunta and Salsette. It is evi- 

 dent, however, that the rocks were executed under the direction of 

 priests of Siva and Vishnu, as no traces of Buddhism or of the Jains 

 are seen. 



From the inscriptions hitherto brought to light, I coincide with Mr. 

 Elliott in supposing that the character in which some of them are writ- 

 ten, (Grantham and Nagri) are not older than the 6th century. The 

 freshness of the chisel- marks on the granite on which Mr. Taylor and 

 some other antiquarians found, in part, their suppositions of a still more 

 modern origin, (viz. from 300 to 500 years) cannot be relied on, as 

 the marks in the quarries of Syene, and in the defile leading from Thebes 

 to Cossier testify. 



One general remarkable feature in these sculptures remains to be 

 noticed, viz. that they have been left apparently in haste, being all un- 

 finished. Mr. Goldingham mentions a tradition of the workmen, who 

 had emigrated from the north, having suddenly been recalled by their 

 prince before they had completed them. This tradition, and the similarity 

 of the sculptures to those of the Deccan, are in favour of the theory that 

 they are not the work of the inhabitants of the country, yet the inscriptions 

 in the old Tamul character must have been executed probably at a 

 later period than the others, under the directions of the Tamul or Ghola 

 princes, or priests. 



I am not aware whether the inscriptions on the monolith Ruths 

 have as yet been fully deciphered. It is probable they may throw light 

 on the era of the Ati Rana Chanda, the lord of kings, who is declared by 

 the inscription on granite, (north of the pagoda, two miles north of 

 the place) to have built it ; and of the Kama Rajah who founded the 

 temple to Siva, according to the Sanscrit inscription in the temple of 

 Ganesa. The antiquity of these inscriptions beyond a certain era may 

 be negatively inferred from the absence of the date either Vikramaditya 

 or Salivahana. 



The Revd. Mr. Taylor, who has catalogued the Mackenzie inscriptions, 

 states, that he has not met with inscriptions with a defined year higher 



* Journal Royal As. Soc. Part. 1, No. XV, p. 88. 



