20 
H. Cousens —Report on the Boria or LaTclia Medi Stupa. [No. 2, 
tlie last—bowl and lid. Thus far had the pot been opened by Mr 
Ardesir before our arrival. The copper pot being encrusted with green 
verdigris was not so easily opened, and the further opening of the ves¬ 
sels was entrusted to me. To open the copper pot, I had to insert the 
blade of my penknife between the lid and the bowl, and by gentle 
leverage force the former off. The general shape of the copper pot 
is that of the stone one, being slightly rounder. But it has an addition 
of a little drum-like protuberance forming a kind of handle to the lid. 
When the copper pot was opened a silver pot of the same shape was found 
within, while underneath it, and between it and the sides of the copper 
pot, was a dry brittle substance covered with verdigris. This, on close 
inspection, has the appearance of compressed vegetable matter, bearing 
the impress of the silver pot on it. It looks as if some green (moist) 
grass-like vegetable had been put in, and the silver box added and pressed 
down upon it. Its moisture had greatly corroded the inside of the copper 
vessel up to a line above the junction of the lid. Beyond this, the interior 
of the dome of the lid was not corroded, being apparently protected by 
the intervening silver box, and this part had a purplish metallic sheen 
which is probably the result of fire when beating out and shaping the lid. 
The corrosion had eaten a considerable hole in one side of the bot¬ 
tom of the bowl. 
The silver box was quite bright. The only difference between this 
and the copper one being in the shape of the knob on the top which has 
a narrower waist at its junction with the top of the dome of the lid. 
This, on being opened, revealed a bright little gold box. Between the 
two was a small quantity of very light knobbly brown stuff which on 
close examination and under a low power microscope appeared to have a 
distinctly fibrous texture. To me it appeared to be a mouldy or fungus 
vegetable matter. 
Great interest and curiosity now centred round the opening of the 
gold box, and the lid was removed amidst much speculation as to its 
contents. Its shape differed from the others only in the shape of the 
knob on the lid which was here conical. In the box we found the relic 
and a few grains of coaly grit, accompanied by the usual five offerings, 
in this case comprising an aquamarine (?) bead, a ruby, a sapphire, an 
emerald, and a small piece of dry twig or white coral with a smaller chip 
of the same. The relic upon close examination seems to be a small chip 
of stone that has been under the action of fire. It is a flake about f of 
an inch long by \ of an inch broad, of a dull yellowish drab colour with 
darker smoky stains. Its surface is cracked all over as if by fire. 
Under the microscope the surface appears to be covered with fine 
grains of sand of various hues and dimensions. A lower power shews 
