288 Essay on the Avian Order of Architecture. [Sept. 



which would seem to point to the opposite doorway on the south as the 

 usual entrance. But the reason for such a departure from the common 

 practice still remains unaccounted for. 



10. — The ceiling is formed of nine blocks, four of which rest over 

 the angles of the cornice, and reduce the opening to a square, which is 

 just one half of the size of the other. The same process is again 

 repeated with an upper course of four stones, by which the opening is 

 still further narrowed to a square of 4 feet ; and lastly, this opening is 

 covered by a single stone decorated with a large expanded lotus, sur- 

 rounded by a beaded circle. The smaller angles are occupied by naked 

 human figures, something similar to those of the Payach ceiling, but 

 without wings. These figures besides have only one leg and one arm 

 outstretched, which affords more variety than the other treatment at 

 Payach. Each of the larger angles is filled with two figures holding 

 out a garland, which falls in a graceful loop between them. The whole 

 rests upon a cornice supported by brackets, which were so much de- 

 cayed that I found it impossible to trace their decorations or even their 

 exact shape. The spaces between the brackets were also much injured ; 

 but they appeared to have been filled with some kind of ornamental 

 drapery hanging in curved folds. 



1 1 . — I was unable to discover any remains of a surrounding quad- 

 rangle ; but from the square form of the piece of water in which the 

 temple is situated, I feel confident that it must once have had a stone 

 enclosed, similar to those of the other temples, although perhaps neither 

 so large nor so highly decorated. The numerous squared stones still 

 lying about prove, in my opinion, that it must once have had an 

 enclosure of some kind. Indeed some portions yet remain of the walls 

 which formerly surrounded the water ; but there is no trace whatever 

 either of pillars or of trefoiled recesses. 



Other Temples. 

 Before closing my description of the Kashmirian temples, I will quote 

 from Vigne and Hugel some accounts of other buildings, which I was 

 prevented by different circumstances from visiting, although I obtained 

 a fair view of two of them across the Behat through a good telescope. 



