DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0381
KANI1ERI. 350
year round with delicious pure water. In front of many of the
eaves too there are holes in the floor of the court, and over their
facades are mortices cut in the rock as footings for posts, and holdings
for wooden rafters to support a covering to shelter the front of
the caves during the monsoon.1
All over the hill from one set of caves to another steps are cut on
the surface of the rock, and these stairs in many cases have had
handrails along the sides of them.
Passing the last-mentioned group and advancing southwards by
an ancient path cut with steps wherever there is a descent, we reach
the edge of the cliff and descend it by a ruined stair about 330
yards south of the great Chaitya cave. This lands in a long gallery
extending over 200 yards south-south-east, and sheltered by the over-
hanging rock above. The floor of this gallery is found to consist of the
foundations of small brick dagobas buried in dust and debris, and
probably sixteen to twenty in number, seven of which were opened
out by Mr. Ed. W. West in 1853.2 Beyond these is the ruin of a
large stone stupa, on which has been a good deal of sculpture, and
which was explored and examined by Mr. "West. In the rock
hehind it are three small cells also containing decayed sculptures,
with traces of plaster covered with painting. Beyond this the floor
suddenly rises about 14 feet, where are the remains of eleven small
brick stupas ; then another slight ascent lands on a level, on which
are thirty-three similar ruined stupas buried in debris. Overhead
the rock has been cut out in some places to make room for them. On
the back wall are some dagobas in relief and three benched recesses,
the brick stupas vary from4| to 6 feet in diameter at the base, but
all are destroyed down to near that level, and seem to have been all
"tied, for in none of those examined have any relics been found.
there were other large stiipas in front of the great Chaitya cave,
1)Ut tnese were opened in 1839 by Dr. James Bird, who thus de-
scribed his operations3:—" The largest of the topes selected for
xamination appeared to have been one time between 12 or 16 feet
1 "eight. It was much dilapidated, and was penetrated from above
0 we base, which was built of cut stone. After digging to the
S°me °^ t'3e Ascriptions mention is said to be made of donations to pay the
' [*» Of these temporary erections.
ij*B'R-A-S.,vol.vi.pp, 116 tr.
"""' "'■ S- -#"<</•> vol. x. j). 94 ; oonf. Bird. Hist. Res., p. 7, ...
year round with delicious pure water. In front of many of the
eaves too there are holes in the floor of the court, and over their
facades are mortices cut in the rock as footings for posts, and holdings
for wooden rafters to support a covering to shelter the front of
the caves during the monsoon.1
All over the hill from one set of caves to another steps are cut on
the surface of the rock, and these stairs in many cases have had
handrails along the sides of them.
Passing the last-mentioned group and advancing southwards by
an ancient path cut with steps wherever there is a descent, we reach
the edge of the cliff and descend it by a ruined stair about 330
yards south of the great Chaitya cave. This lands in a long gallery
extending over 200 yards south-south-east, and sheltered by the over-
hanging rock above. The floor of this gallery is found to consist of the
foundations of small brick dagobas buried in dust and debris, and
probably sixteen to twenty in number, seven of which were opened
out by Mr. Ed. W. West in 1853.2 Beyond these is the ruin of a
large stone stupa, on which has been a good deal of sculpture, and
which was explored and examined by Mr. "West. In the rock
hehind it are three small cells also containing decayed sculptures,
with traces of plaster covered with painting. Beyond this the floor
suddenly rises about 14 feet, where are the remains of eleven small
brick stupas ; then another slight ascent lands on a level, on which
are thirty-three similar ruined stupas buried in debris. Overhead
the rock has been cut out in some places to make room for them. On
the back wall are some dagobas in relief and three benched recesses,
the brick stupas vary from4| to 6 feet in diameter at the base, but
all are destroyed down to near that level, and seem to have been all
"tied, for in none of those examined have any relics been found.
there were other large stiipas in front of the great Chaitya cave,
1)Ut tnese were opened in 1839 by Dr. James Bird, who thus de-
scribed his operations3:—" The largest of the topes selected for
xamination appeared to have been one time between 12 or 16 feet
1 "eight. It was much dilapidated, and was penetrated from above
0 we base, which was built of cut stone. After digging to the
S°me °^ t'3e Ascriptions mention is said to be made of donations to pay the
' [*» Of these temporary erections.
ij*B'R-A-S.,vol.vi.pp, 116 tr.
"""' "'■ S- -#"<</•> vol. x. j). 94 ; oonf. Bird. Hist. Res., p. 7, ...