166 



DESCRIPTIVE REMARKS O^J 



running north and south, the width of the excavation ; but the 

 nine central spaces at the back {i.e., an area equal to three pillar- 

 spaces wide and three deep) are occupied by a solid unfinished 

 shrine or inner chamber. Otherwise one may say that two aisles 

 have been excavated running round three sides of a central 

 chamber. 



The front row consisted of six octagonal lion-based pillars 

 between two square lion-based pilasters, with gradually taper- 

 ing shafts, supporting the usual squashed cushion capital and 

 fine square tabular abacus, surmounted by a principal transverse 

 bracket with curved indented (or scrolled) ends under the 

 architrave, and also having three ornamental brackets in front of 

 each ; one directly to the front, and two obliquely or diagonally. 



These triplet ornamental brackets form the distinctive charac- 

 teristic of this excavation, (which is also one of the largest 

 caves of the place). They represent three semi-rampant lions or 

 griffins with human riders. 



In two or three only have the brackets been at all finished 

 in the rest they have only been blocked out, and where finished 

 the steeds and their riders have been much weather-worn and 

 mutilated. 



Above the architraves a bold projecting cornice free from 

 ornament extends the whole length of the excavation (50 feet) 

 in one line without a break and without the usual horse-shoe 

 facets or other ornament. 



Above the cornice the solid rock has been cut back, leaving a 

 row of the usual simulated domical cells rising behind a balus- 

 trade or railing adorned with the usual griffins' heads and another 

 ornament. 



The row of domical cells i3 broken into a central group of five 

 (three oblong and waggon-roofed, between two square-domed 

 cells), standing in a line somewhat advanced, over the three 

 central bays behind which stands the shrine, and into two wings 

 of two oblong waggon-roofed cells on each side somewhat with- 

 drawn or retired from the line of the five central cells. The 

 oblong cells have the usual pair of horns or flat erect spikes over 

 their gable ends and two kalaSams or vase ornaments on the ridge 



