86 Ancient Remains at Saidpur and Bhitari. [No. 2, 
stones picked up in the neighbourhood at various times. Some of S| 
these are of Buddhist, while others may be of Hindu type. Amongst — 
them are two heads alluded to in the note, and also two very curious 
stones, one representing the front portion of the human skull, and 
the other a human hand clasping a shell. There is likewise rather a 9 
large statue of the god Ganesh, referred to by General Cunningham — 
in his Bhitari Report. It is plainly of modern date, and is not worth — 
even an allusion. Portions of cloister pillars, square below and — 
octagonal above, may be here and there seen. These were manifestly — 
first cut down and rounded by the Hindus, to serve as lingams, and — 
when the Mahomedans became dominant, were then used by them as 
head-stones for their graves, the chirdgh or lamp being placed on the 
top instead of in a small niche which it is customary to make for the 
same. Some of the massive stones of the mosque now used as archi- 
traves and pillars were evidently taken from ancient edifices; and it — 
is not difficult to trace roofing stones of old cloisters in some of the 
stones in the pavement and in the covering stones of the graves. 
General Cunningham also partially describes a remarkable stone 
found not far from the column, respecting which we would make a i 
few remarks in addition to his own. His account is as follows. — 
“There is also a large slab,” he says, ‘‘ with a half-size two-armed — 
female figure, attended by another female figure holding an umbrella — 
over her, both in very high relief. The figares in this sculpture are |) 
in the same style and in the same attitudes as those of the similall 
group of the Raja and his umbrella attendant on the gold coins of — 
the Gupta Princes. This sculpture, I believe, represents a queen on 
her way to worship at the temple. The group is a favourite one 
with Hindu artists, and, as far as my observation goes, it is never 
used singly, but always in pairs, one on each side of the door-way of 
a temple. The age of this sculpture I am inclined to fix as early as 
the time of the Gupta kings, partly on account of the similarity of 
style to that of their gold coins, partly also because the pillar belongs 
to one of that family, but chiefly because some of the bricks found 
in various parts of the ruins are stamped with the name of Sri 
Kumara Gupta.” To this interesting information concerning this curious 
stone, we would add, that seven human figures are sculptured upon it 
in bas-relief. Of these the chief female figure or queen stands upon a 

