276 
T. Bloch — Buddhistic statue from (fravasti. 
[No. 4, 
vertical line. This rule also holds ^ood throughout in all the three 
inscriptions, viz., No. 1, 1. 1: ksatrapasya, 1. 2: puskarini (twice) ; 
No. 2, 1. 2 : ksatrapasa, 1. 3: ghosena (twice) ; No. 3, 1. 1 : ksatrapasa , 
1.2: vrsnena, 1. 4 : vapusa ; 
(c) the more archaic form of qa is preserved, against the Kusana 
form of this letter, which is nearly like a sa turned upside down : 
compare e. g. the qa of Codasasa with qigini of Nos. II and XI, Ep. Ind., 
Yol. II, p. 199 and 201*; 
(d) of compound letters, as a rule, the top of the second lower-most 
letter is marked by the serif, this letter being not merely a continuation 
of the down-stroke of the first. Thus, in No. 1, 1. 1: mahaksatrapasya, 
goddsasya, 1. 2 : pagcima, staftiblia ; 1 in No. 2, 1. 2: svamisa, mahdksatra- 
pasa, samvatsare ; in No. 3, 1. 3 : yastd, 1. 4 : jvalatd ; 
(e) the writing, as a rule, is done with greater care and shows a 
preference for angular forms, against the cursive, slovenly executed 
letters of the Kusana Inscriptions. This will become clear at once by 
glancing over the facsimile-plates of Prof. Biihler’s articles on Mathura 
Inscriptions in Ep. Ind., Yols. I and II. 
The same peculiarities of writing which, I trust, will be considered 
sufficient proof of an earlier age of the Northern Ksatrapa type, as 
compared with the Kusana type, occur also in a number of cognate 
inscriptions from Mathura or the country around it. Thus, e.g in the 
Anyor Inscription in A. S. R., Yol. XX, Plate Y, No. 5, and in Mathura 
Inscriptions, ed. Biililer, Ep. Ind., Yol. I, No. 33 ; Yol. II, No. 4, 5 and 
7. Among the Kusana Inscriptions, I know of only one document 
which exhibits the same characteristics. It is the inscription on the 
Elephant Capital from the Kahkali Tila at Mathura, figured in Plate Y 
of A. S. R. Yol. III. 3 This inscription is dated in the reign of 
1 Of this inscription I have only seen the facsimile in Plate XIII of A. S. R,., 
Ill, which is not altogether reliable as to these minor details. 
2 See also p. 20 of text. Of this interesting sculpture, the Indian Museum also 
possesses a photograph. In the Inscription it is said to be a Nandiviqdla, which 
may mean, that the pillar was “ as big as Nandin,” but which also may be a 
technical term of unknown meaning. It is a Jaina sculpture, as may be seen from 
the concluding line of the inscription, which records that the monument was 
erected Arahamtanam pujaye ‘ in adoration of the Arhants.’ The inscription, 
according to the photograph, reads: 
(lino i) \_Mai]h[_a]r[a]jasya Devaputrasya Huviskasya sam 30-8 
(line 2) he 3 di 10-1 etdye purvaye namdi-viqdlo 
(line 3) pratisthapito Qivadasa-gresthi-putrena gresthind 
(line 4) \_A~\ryyena Rudraddsena Arahamtanam pujdye. 
This means : “ On the 11th day of the 3rd half-month ( palcsa ) of the cold 
season, in the year 38, (during the reign of) Maharaja Devaputra Huviska, on this 
date ( specified as) above, this ( pillar which is) as big as Nandin (?) has been set up by 
