V. A. Smith — Qrceco-Eoman influence [No. 3, 



does with the architectural, that the Ionic pillars found in two temples 

 at Taxila, east of the Indus, date from about the beginning- of (lie 

 Christian era, and are, with the exception of a very fow sculptures of 

 the same period, tho earliest known examples of Indo- Hellenic work 

 in the Panjab. Those pillars I regard as results of the operation 

 of Hellenistic, as distinguished from Roman, influence. Hellenistic 

 ideas can also be traced in the early Buddhist sculptures, which wore 

 executed prior to the establishment of the empire of the Ceesars 

 at Bharhut, Buddha Gaya, and other places in the interior of India. 



The sculptures from the Ytisufzai country, the kingdom of Gan- 

 dhara properly so called, which lies west of the Indus, in the immediate 

 neighbourhood of Peshawar, are, I believe, the work of a local' school, 

 probably founded by a foreign colony, which drew its inspiration directly 

 from Roman, and only remotely from Greek art. This local school 

 may be conveniently designated either as the Gandhara or Peshawar 

 school. The name Grasco-Buddhist proposed by Dr. Leitner cannot be 

 asserted to be incorrect, all Roman being only a modification of Greek 

 art, but the term Romano-Buddhist would be much more appropriate. 



I cannot say what circumstances caused the establishment at Pesha- 

 war of this peculiar local school, but I do not agree with Sir A. Cun- 

 ningham in associating it with Kanishka and his immediate successors 

 of the Kushan dynasty, A. D. 80 to 200. On the contrary, I am of 

 opinion that the earliest works of the Romano-Buddhist school of Pesha- 

 war date from about A. D. 200, and that all the sculptures of any eon- 

 siderablo degree of artistic merit were executed between that date and 

 A. D. 850. The style probably lingered in decay as late as A. D. 450, 

 but not later. 



It follows that I hold that there is a wide interval, at present 

 unbridged, between the scanty remains of early Indo-Hellonic work 

 in the Panjab, and tho abundant specimens of later Indo-Romau work. 



The style of the Romano-Buddhist sculpture and architectural 

 decoration shows some affinity with the style of the great temples at 

 Palymra and Baalbec, belonging to the second and third centuries A. D., 

 but its closest relationship, (and the connection is very close indeed)] 

 is with the Roman Christian sculpture of the period A. D. 250-450 as 

 seen in the catacombs. 



I am well aware that the opinions above expressed are open to 

 dispute, and that lam liable to be thought over- venturesome for express- 

 ing them in such positive language. They are, however, the result of 

 a careful and prolonged study of tho subject, and I submit them for 

 discussion in the confidence that a distinct expression of definite opinions 

 will bring out clearly the issues to be decided, and prepare tho way for 

 final judgment. 



