THE SEVEN PAGODAS. 



177 



ornamented at intervals of 4 or 5 feet by florid ogee or horse- 

 shoe (? window) facets, each containing (originally) a small 

 curved projecting (hood-shaped) block springing out from the 

 base of a wide semi-circular arch or shallow niche, and flanked by 

 narrow round-headed niches, a style of ornament most common 

 on the oblong waggon-roofed monoliths at this place. The 

 intention of this cornice is not obvious unless the plain basement 

 below it (or the excavation below, No. 32) may be regarded as a 

 lower storey. Except in this instance and in No. 4 the Yalaiyan 

 J^uttai Hatha, the use of this curved projecting block is restricted 

 to the roof dormers, the horse-shoe'facets of the cornice usually 

 having a human face carved within them. 



On the east side, where the rock slopes down most rapidly, the 

 outer stones of the lowest course appear to have slipped out and 

 fallen away, and the vacancy has been partly refilled by a partial 

 under-pinning of very rough brickwork, not at all in keeping 

 with the workmanship and material above. There is no railing 

 ornament or any pilaster to be seen in the basement, and except 

 the carved projecting blocks above the plinth which may have 

 been designed to simulate projecting beam heads, there is scarcely 

 a sign of wooden-pattern anywhere. Above the cornice is a flat 

 terrace or procession path, perhaps 3 or 4 feet wide, within which 

 rises the plinth and superstructure. 



The measurements of the temple given by Braddock (see Carr, 

 page 96) are 22' X 16' and 16 feet high, that would be about a 

 cube of 16 feet for the ground-floor story of the shrine, and a 

 6 -feet projection on the west side for portico or ante chamber. 



The plinth moulding is neat and plain, being composed of a 

 succession of flat inclined surfaces forming a prominent project- 

 ing band between deep indentations ; above this the sculpture 

 must have been very elaborate, in high relief and good of its 

 kind and style. 



The beam head or rail course is ornamented by prominent 

 griffin or lion heads, in pairs, facing one another. The stone is 

 very much weathered indeed, especially on the east face, but 

 enough still remains to show the style of the building and the 

 character of the sculptures. 



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