184 



JOUKNAL, E.A.S. (CEYLON). [VOL. X. 



Railway station, and 120 miles to the south-west of Allahabad. In our 

 maps the place is called Bharaod, and I believe that it may be identified 

 with the Bardaotis of Ptolemy. It is the site of an old city, which 

 only sixty years ago was covered with a dense jungle. In the midst of 

 this jungle stood a large brick stupa, 68 ft. in diameter, surrounded 

 by a stone railing 88 ft. in diameter and 9 ft. in height. The 

 whole of the stupa has been carried away to build the houses of the 

 present village ; but rather more than half of the stone railing still 

 remains, although it has been prostrated by the weight of the rubbish 

 thrown against it when the stupa was excavated. When I first saw 

 the place only three of the railing pillars near the eastern gate were 

 visible above the ground, but a shallow excavation soon brought 

 to light some pillars of the south gate, from which I obtained the 

 measurement of one quadrant of the circle. I was thus able to 

 determine the diameter of the enclosure, the whole of which was 

 afterwards excavated, partly by myself and partly by my assistant 

 Mr. Beglar. In many places the accumulation of rubbish rose to eight 

 feet in height, and as the stone pillars were lying flat underneath this 

 heap, the amount of excavation was necessarily rather great ; but the 

 whole work did not occupy more than six weeks, and all that now exists 

 of this fine railing is now exposed to view. 



This colonnade of the Bharahut stupa is of the same age and style 

 as that of the great Sanchi stupa near Bhilsa. But the Sanchi railing 

 is quite plain, while the Bharahut railing is profusely sculptured, — 

 every pillar and every rail, as well as the whole coping, being sculptured 

 on both faces, with an inscription on nearly every stone. From the 

 characters of these inscriptions, as in the similar case of the Sanchi 

 stupa, the erection of the railing must be assigned to the age of Asoka, 

 or about B.C. 250. 



The inscriptions are mostly records of the gifts of pillars and rails, 

 like those of the Sanchi and other stupas. But there is also a 

 considerable number of descriptive records, or placards, placed either 

 above or below many of the sculptures. These last are extremely 

 valuable, as they will enable us to identify nearly all the prin- 

 cipal figures and scenes that are represented in these ancient 

 bas-reliefs. 



Amongst the numerous sculptures at Bharahut there are no naked 

 figures as at Sanchi and at Mathura, but all are well clad, and especially 

 the women, whose heads are generally covered with richly-figured 

 cloths, which may be either muslins, or perhaps brocades or shawls. 

 Most of the figures, both male and female, are also profusely adorned 

 with gold and jewelled ornaments, in many of which one of the most 

 significant Buddhist symbols plays a prominent part. The earrings are 

 mostly of one curious massive pattern, which is common to both men 

 and women, The ankus, or elephant goad, was also a favourite 



