396 Exploration of the ruins of Sarnath. [No. 5. 



intended for granaries, and at the same time so solidly bnilt as to 

 serve the purpose of solid foundations for the monastery of which 

 they probably formed a part. 



Another structure is a well, surrounded by a rectangular plat- 

 form, edged with rough upright stones, probably the supporters 

 of a heavy roof. There are indications of the well having been 

 brought into use, after the destruction of the surrounding buildings, 

 by laying a long stone across a portion of its broken edge. The 

 masonry of the well is very irregular. 



As I occupied the bungalow vacated by Mr. Hall before his 

 departure from Benares, he left in the house all the objects, except 

 a coin, that he had collected from his excavations, with a request 

 that I should make a descriptive catalogue of them. This, when 

 leisure served, I wrote, and sent to the Benares College Museum, 

 along with all the objects described. A copy of the correspondence 

 connected with this subject is annexed. 



The coin abovementioned had previously been sent to me by 

 Mr. Hall. It appeared a mass of verdigris, rubbed on one side 

 until a figured white metallic surface appeared. By careful clean- 

 ing with dilute sulphuric acid, I removed the whole of the coating 

 carbonate, which revealed a Greek profile, helmeted, with a peacock 

 on the reverse ; both early impressions, as the rough marks of the 

 graving tool were distinctly transferred to the impression. It was 

 sent to Mr. Thomas, who identified it as a coin of Buddha Gupta 

 (circ. A. D. 400), and thence to the India House ; it is not gold, 

 as mentioned in the correspondence on the subject, but silver, with 

 a considerable alloy of tin (judging from the colour,) and of copper 

 (from its crust). 



The burnt grain and masses of half-fused iron discovered by 

 Mr. Hall, corroborate the conclusions drawn by previous explorers, 

 that the monastery had been destroyed by fire. 



Some of the small objects which I have particularly described, 

 are interesting as relics of the useful arts of the period ; especially 

 the implements of the metal-workers, Nos. 42, 43, 45 to 50, 55 and 

 61. Some, again, look as if they had formed portions of the relic- 

 casket and deposits of a great tope, small as the chances might be 

 thought of recovering such minute objects from such an extensive 



