DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0321
AJANTA. 299
It certainly seems to be the case that all or nearly all the remaining
21 caves at Ajanta were excavated between the years 500 and 650,
with a very little margin either way before or after these dates.1
"When we pass over the gulf, and it is a vast one, that separates
the older from the more modern caves, at Ajanta we come first on a
very small and somewhat abnormal group, consisting of only two
caves, Nos. YII. and VI., which, whatever their other characteristics
may he, most distinctly belong to the Mahayana school.
Cave VII. is a Vihara somewhat differing in type from any yet
described. In front of the verandah were two porches, each sup-
ported by two advanced octagonal pillars with capitals somewhat like
those in Cave II. and at Elephanta. The frieze above is ornamented
with the favourite Chaitya-window device. The verandah measures
62 feet 10 inches long by 13 feet 7 inches wide and 13 feet 6 inches
high. There is no hall, but in the back wall are four cells and the
antechamber leading to the shrine ; and at each end of the veran-
dah are rooms at some height above the floor with two pillars in
front, each again opening into three cells, about 8^ feet square.
The shrine is an unequal four-sided room, in which Buddha is
One of the most curious results obtained from recent discoveries in Afghanistan
H the apparent certainty of the prevalence of Mahayana doctrines on the Indus, and
beyond it, long before their introduction in India. Near Ali Musjid a tope has
recently been excavated by M. Beglar, and photographs of it have been sent to me by
general Cunningham—but not yet published—with a letter in which he informs me
" contains coins of Vasu Deva, and he considers that it certainly belongs to his age.
Inscriptions of this king have been found at Mathura (Cunningham, Reports, vol. iv.
PP- 34 and 35), dated Samvat 83 and 98. Now, assuming these to be dated from the
' asa hamvat, which there seems no reason for doubting was the case, this would
on - "ruig his reign down to 162-177 a.d., and there is nothing in the architecture of
l' tope to contradict this date. It is adorned with the bell-shaped capitals so common
i nmia at about this date, and they are surmounted by the double animals as usual.
e scu'pture, however, is wholly of the Mahayana school. There are not only one,
dozens, it may almost be said hundreds, of figures of Buddha in all the usual
°nventional attitudes, and of a type that does not appear in India till at least two or
' fce Centuries afterwards. It may be a question for future investigation whether
°ugnt to bring the date of the Afghanistan topes further down, or whether we
o t to carry the introduction of Mahayana further back ; the evidence of the caves
indicate the latter as the most probable alternative. I am strongly impressed
' e idea—from the evidence as it at present stands—that the bulk of the Gandhara
m 1 eiC, erected between the age of Constantine and that of Justinian, but we
*wt tor further information before this can be determined.—J. F.
It certainly seems to be the case that all or nearly all the remaining
21 caves at Ajanta were excavated between the years 500 and 650,
with a very little margin either way before or after these dates.1
"When we pass over the gulf, and it is a vast one, that separates
the older from the more modern caves, at Ajanta we come first on a
very small and somewhat abnormal group, consisting of only two
caves, Nos. YII. and VI., which, whatever their other characteristics
may he, most distinctly belong to the Mahayana school.
Cave VII. is a Vihara somewhat differing in type from any yet
described. In front of the verandah were two porches, each sup-
ported by two advanced octagonal pillars with capitals somewhat like
those in Cave II. and at Elephanta. The frieze above is ornamented
with the favourite Chaitya-window device. The verandah measures
62 feet 10 inches long by 13 feet 7 inches wide and 13 feet 6 inches
high. There is no hall, but in the back wall are four cells and the
antechamber leading to the shrine ; and at each end of the veran-
dah are rooms at some height above the floor with two pillars in
front, each again opening into three cells, about 8^ feet square.
The shrine is an unequal four-sided room, in which Buddha is
One of the most curious results obtained from recent discoveries in Afghanistan
H the apparent certainty of the prevalence of Mahayana doctrines on the Indus, and
beyond it, long before their introduction in India. Near Ali Musjid a tope has
recently been excavated by M. Beglar, and photographs of it have been sent to me by
general Cunningham—but not yet published—with a letter in which he informs me
" contains coins of Vasu Deva, and he considers that it certainly belongs to his age.
Inscriptions of this king have been found at Mathura (Cunningham, Reports, vol. iv.
PP- 34 and 35), dated Samvat 83 and 98. Now, assuming these to be dated from the
' asa hamvat, which there seems no reason for doubting was the case, this would
on - "ruig his reign down to 162-177 a.d., and there is nothing in the architecture of
l' tope to contradict this date. It is adorned with the bell-shaped capitals so common
i nmia at about this date, and they are surmounted by the double animals as usual.
e scu'pture, however, is wholly of the Mahayana school. There are not only one,
dozens, it may almost be said hundreds, of figures of Buddha in all the usual
°nventional attitudes, and of a type that does not appear in India till at least two or
' fce Centuries afterwards. It may be a question for future investigation whether
°ugnt to bring the date of the Afghanistan topes further down, or whether we
o t to carry the introduction of Mahayana further back ; the evidence of the caves
indicate the latter as the most probable alternative. I am strongly impressed
' e idea—from the evidence as it at present stands—that the bulk of the Gandhara
m 1 eiC, erected between the age of Constantine and that of Justinian, but we
*wt tor further information before this can be determined.—J. F.