DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.2371#0538
516 APPENDIX.
small for his other proportions, but the amount and character of
jewels he wears is most remarkable. His gold earrings rest on his
shoulders, and his arms are nearly covered with armlets of pearls (?),
while the flmir-de-lys ornament he wears on his right arm is not
only elegant but most unusual.
No inscription of any sort has been found in this newly discovered
cave, which either from its purport or the form of its letters gives
us a hint of what the age of this Vihara may be. "We are thus left
almost wholly to rely on local and architectural evidences for ascer-
taining this. These, fortunately, especially the latter, are, in tliis
case, as satisfactory as almost could be wished for, and leave little
room for doubt that if not the very oldest it is at least among
the most ancient excavations, of its class, that has yet been dis-
covered in India.
The situation of this cave, as forming part of a group where all
the others are old, raises at first a strong presumption that it, too,
may be as ancient as the others are. The Ohaitya cave here
(woodcut No. 1) I have always looked upon as the oldest of its
class on the western side of India, and its accompanying Viharas
(Plate IX.).are certainly of the same age. Recent researches have
somewhat modified this conclusion, and it is now doubtful whether
the caves at Pitalkhora (Plate XV.), and that at Kondane (Hate
VIII.) may not be as old, and, on the whole, there seems so very little
difference between them, that it is hardly worth arguing the point.
These groups may overlap each other, as to their dates, and ma}
be considered as contemporary, till something turns up to decide
question of priority.
Though the fact of its being associated with an old group c
caves may render it probable that it, too, is ancient, it is iai
proving it to be so ; but if any reliance can be placed on arc n
tural evidence, this is amply sufficient to render its antiquity oev
all cavil. Any one familiar with the subject, on looking a
doorways of the interior (Plate XCVIL), will see at a ShnG^Jd
their form is more ancient than that of any others yet a ^
in this work. Those most like them are those in the V
Bedsa (Plate X.), but these are not so rude as in this caV^ent_
their jambs do not slope inwards to anything like the same'\tern
while as mentioned above (p. 40 et seq.), in describing w*e ^
caves, this is one of the most certain indications of their -
small for his other proportions, but the amount and character of
jewels he wears is most remarkable. His gold earrings rest on his
shoulders, and his arms are nearly covered with armlets of pearls (?),
while the flmir-de-lys ornament he wears on his right arm is not
only elegant but most unusual.
No inscription of any sort has been found in this newly discovered
cave, which either from its purport or the form of its letters gives
us a hint of what the age of this Vihara may be. "We are thus left
almost wholly to rely on local and architectural evidences for ascer-
taining this. These, fortunately, especially the latter, are, in tliis
case, as satisfactory as almost could be wished for, and leave little
room for doubt that if not the very oldest it is at least among
the most ancient excavations, of its class, that has yet been dis-
covered in India.
The situation of this cave, as forming part of a group where all
the others are old, raises at first a strong presumption that it, too,
may be as ancient as the others are. The Ohaitya cave here
(woodcut No. 1) I have always looked upon as the oldest of its
class on the western side of India, and its accompanying Viharas
(Plate IX.).are certainly of the same age. Recent researches have
somewhat modified this conclusion, and it is now doubtful whether
the caves at Pitalkhora (Plate XV.), and that at Kondane (Hate
VIII.) may not be as old, and, on the whole, there seems so very little
difference between them, that it is hardly worth arguing the point.
These groups may overlap each other, as to their dates, and ma}
be considered as contemporary, till something turns up to decide
question of priority.
Though the fact of its being associated with an old group c
caves may render it probable that it, too, is ancient, it is iai
proving it to be so ; but if any reliance can be placed on arc n
tural evidence, this is amply sufficient to render its antiquity oev
all cavil. Any one familiar with the subject, on looking a
doorways of the interior (Plate XCVIL), will see at a ShnG^Jd
their form is more ancient than that of any others yet a ^
in this work. Those most like them are those in the V
Bedsa (Plate X.), but these are not so rude as in this caV^ent_
their jambs do not slope inwards to anything like the same'\tern
while as mentioned above (p. 40 et seq.), in describing w*e ^
caves, this is one of the most certain indications of their -