1854.] Excavations at Sarndth. 473 



The outline of the complete square will however, be seen to have 

 been preserved, as far as the foundations go, to the outside of the 

 doorway-block, and the line is further continued through the thick 

 angular wall, at which point the deep foundations cease. Passing by 

 three ordinary chambers on the northern face, we come to one of 

 the image houses — the entrance is from the inner square — the brick 

 and the stone platform may both be supposed to have formed pedes- 

 tals of erect statues of Buddha ; the retreated wall in the corner, 

 between these platforms, combined with the otherwise apparently 

 isolated position of the second platform chamber adjoining towards 

 the north, would have led to the idea that the wall had been 

 pierced for the purpose of communication between one chamber and 

 the other, but as far as the standing walls admit of a decision on 

 the point, there certainly was no doorway at this spot, whatever 

 means of oral or ocular communication may have existed in the screen 

 at a higher level. 



Such portion of the western face of the Monastery as has yet 

 been exposed seems to have consisted of cells. These bear less trace 

 of fire than those on the opposite side of the square, but on the 

 other hand a much smaller proportion of their walls remains standing, 

 seeming as if this side of the building, situated as it was on the more 

 exposed slope of the bank, was less early inhumed ; indeed as far as 

 can be seen the S. "W. corner has been almost entirely swept away, 

 its surviving portions having been covered in at a much later period 

 by the gradual operation of the manufacture of pottery, &c, whose 

 kilns for the supply of successive generations have been pushed on in 

 this direction to meet the prevailing wind. At this corner we again 

 find traces of the verandah of the court and the centre chamber on 

 the southern aspect brings us to the shrine : all that now remains, is 

 the square, elaborately-corniced block in the centre of the chamber, 

 which formed the Singhasun or throne for the seated figure of 

 Buddha. The wall to the rear of the statue has been completely 

 destroyed, but the original opening in front of the Singhasun is 

 seen to have been enlarged beyond the breadth of the other door- 

 ways, probably to afford a free view of the object of worship without 

 necessitating too near an approach on the part of the ordinary 

 votaries. 



3 E 



