18G7.] On the Antiquities of Mdinpuri. 171 



There is a magnificent grove, at the road side, of gigantic tamarind 

 and other trees, under which are scattered some Muhammadan tombs, 

 and there are traces everywhere of this town having once flourished 

 under the Musalman emperors, of whose coins I obtained three 

 or four, as well as two of the nail-headed character. These latter 

 abound in these parts. A thorough search through the town shewed 

 no traces of very ancient buildings in situ, although the old fort 

 mound, now being levelled and converted intoa"ganj" or market 

 place, may have been the site of one. I, however, marked about 

 30 stones, i. e. block kankar and sandstone, which had once formed 

 parts of a Buddhist erection, and all of which appeared to me to 

 have been brought from Malaun about eight miles distant. I have 

 figured some of these. Of No. 1, I found two portions; the rest of 

 the cornice being at Malaun, and a band of the same pattern adorns 

 one of the faces of the great tope at Sarnath, and has been figured in 

 the " Researches" of the Asiatic Society by General Cunningham. 



Figure 2 is commonly to be found carved at the Atala mosque, 

 Jaunpur, and on very early capitals. 



The forms shewn in Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 indicate great antiquity. 

 There are similar ones at Malaun and at many other places. The 

 basement moulding Fig. 8 is very bold, massive and effective, and also 

 of a very earl}' date. 



Figure 9 is very singular ; but there may be doubts as to its age. 



Cornice, Figure 3, needs no special remark. 



Many of these stones were found built into the gateway of a new 

 sariii ; some were seen near the Old Fort or walls ; whilst others 

 were used to form the mouths of wells. 



Fragments of three kalasas, of a similar size as those found at Malaun 

 were also discovered ; so that the conclusion I arrived at was, that no 

 building of any note in Buddhist times, had existed in Karauli, but 

 that these remains had been plundered from Malaun, which would 

 seem to have been used as a quarry for many years past. I find this 

 district to be dotted over with high mounds of great antiquity, many 

 of which produce stones as herein illustrated ; I hope to examine 

 more of them. 



This fact, however, shews one that caution must be exercised in 

 statements as to whence stones have been taken ; for there may have 



