1865.] Report of the Archeological Survey. 257 
refers when he states that “the temple of Shi-hwan (read Shi-to hwan,” 
or Jetavana) “had originally seven stories. Canopies and streamers 
were hung up, flowers were scattered, perfumes burned, lanterns sup- 
plied the place of day, and even in day time were never extinguished. 
A rat having taken into its mouth the wick of one of these lanterns, 
set fire to the flags and to the drapery of the pavilions, and the seven 
stories of the temple were utterly consumed.” ‘This occurred some 
time before A. D. 400, as Fa Hian adds that “they reconstructed the 
temple, and when they had completed the second story, they installed 
the statue in its former place.” From this account I infer, though 
somewhat doubtfully, that the new temple was not more than two 
stories in height. I conclude also that the place_was already on the 
decline, as a little more than two centuries later, when visited by Hwen 
Thsang, it was found utterly ruined and deserted. 
338. The great mound of ruins, which I propose to identify with 
the Jetavana, is situated just halfa mile distant from the south-west 
corner of the old city. It is rectangular in form, being 1,000 feet 
léng from north-east to south-west, and 700 feet broad. It is worth 
noting, as it is most probably not accidental, that the central line of the 
rectangle falls upon a lofty mound, inside the south-west angle of the 
city, called Sobhndth, which, according to some, is a name of Mahadeva. 









The shape of the monastery is defined by a gentle rise all round the 
edge of the mound, which I take to represent the ruins of the monks’ 
cells that once formed the surrounding walls of the enclosure. The 
highest part, which is the south side, is not more than 12 feet above 
the neighbouring ground, while the other sides are not more than eight 
or ten feet. But the whole area was so thickly covered with jungle, 
that I found it difficult to take even a few measurements. During 
my stay at Sahet I cut pathways to all the ruined eminences within 
the enclosure, and after clearing the jungle around them, I began an 
excavation in each to ascertain the nature of the original building. 
With the largest mound, which was near the south end of the central 
line of the enclosure, I was unsuccessful. It was 15 feet in height, 
and looked the most promising of all, but I found nothing but earth 
and broken bricks, although I was assured by the people that numbers 
of large bricks had been carried away from it at different times. Both 
from its size and position, I am inclined to look upon this mound as 
