336 Note on the Sculptures of Bodh Gyah. [April, 



Again we find that the implements of warfare were bows and arrows, 

 spears, double-edged swords, precisely the shape of those still common 

 in the Curjats or petty states of Orissa, called " Khandas," and that 

 stones were hurled from the walls of their strongholds. 



From the Bodh Gyah sculptures we find that all the scenes are laid 

 amongst the rocks ; that such were the most favorite localities we have 

 ample proof from most of the known sites in Behar, and of Western 

 India, Cuttack and Ceylon, and the very remote antiquity of the prac- 

 tice is again confirmed by Herodotus and by holy scripture itself, as 

 relates to Western Asia and Egypt, from which it may possibly have 

 been borrowed. 



The sculptures of Cuttack and Gyah represent the same style of dress 

 and of coiffure, the men wearing a short, the women a long Dhotee, the 

 upper part of the body remaining bare in both, with few exceptions ; 

 the hair of the men wound up in a knot on the crown, and that of the 

 women both on, and behind, the head. The ears' of either sex having 

 extended lobes from the apparent weight of the great rings and knobs 

 in them similar to those worn by the Kanphutta sects of monks (votaries 

 of Siva) in the present day, and I should observe that the costumes 

 above described closely resemble those still worn by the Kunds and 

 Boomiahs of the Orissa mountains, the Chotya Nagpore districts, the 

 head-dress in particular ; the broad necklaces and anklets are an equally 

 prominent feature. 



In the description of preparations for the great convocation in Magda 

 after the death of Sakya, mention is made of the nature of the orna- 

 ments, amongst which were representations of festoons of flowers, &c. ; 

 now this ornament is of repeated occurrence in the sculptures I am 

 treating of; garlands are represented as suspended from the Chutturs and 

 the Bo tree, and from poles both on and beside the Topes or Chaityas ; 

 angels are seen flying with them over the object of worship ; and from 

 the fragments at Gyah and Barabar, it would seem that this was always 

 a favorite ornament ; here then again we have the correctness of a de- 

 scription contained in one of the most ancient writings extant, confirmed. 



Of all the subjects, that of the hand issuing from a rock or a cloud, 

 and holding apparently a flame of fire, which is again surrounded by 

 other flames, with a concourse of people in the act of worship, is the 

 most curious and interesting ; it will, I think, explain the allusion to 



