188 Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. [Aui 



two, the lower part of the vessels exhibited the same general form 

 as the others did : the deviation from the type took place in the 

 upper part, where a sudden change in the curvature of the surface 

 caused a cusp in the outline. The result no doubt was graceful, and a 

 step in advance of the art, which produced the other, (as he thought) 

 older form. It occurred to him that it might have been brought 

 about something as follows : Experience taught the potter that his 

 work would be materially facilitated, if he formed his vessel in two 

 pieces, and afterwards united them. But in adopting this practice, 

 which prevails almost universally in this neighbourhood, the potter 

 still tried his best to keep to the original outwardly convex curvature. 

 Then it was discovered by some innovator that the making of the 

 vessel in two pieces afforded an excellent opportunity for giving 

 variety to the form, and hence came the abrupt alteration of curvature 

 exhibited in the two figures in question. He thought that even these 

 forms, if his memory did not mislead him, might be paralleled in the 

 bazars of this town. The three little feet, which appeared in some 

 of the figures attached to the hemispherical surface of the vessel, to 

 render it capable of standing, was a contrivance common enough now. 

 It was remarkable that not one of the vessels figured had a base other 

 than the trivet referred to, and in this respect they corresponded close- 

 ly with the vessels in common use among the people at the present 

 time. 



Rev. J. Long asked if it was known what term or name the people 

 applied to these Cromlechs, and whether this name was a word be- 

 longing to the language now in use there, or was a word only tradi- 

 tionally known. The value of Etymological research in cases where 

 history was silent, was immense, and becoming daily more ac- 

 knowledged. It would be desirable to know whether these words 

 were applied indiscriminately to all such structures, or only to those of 

 a peculiar type. 



The President said the communications now before the Society 

 gave no information on these points, but he would endeavour to obtain 

 answers to Mr. Long's valuable suggestions and queries. 



