This and the following eleven sculptures selected from the ruins by Mr. L. B. B. King, C.S., were presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, by the Government of Bengal 13th June 1876.

Gr. 3.-Half of an elephant gargoyle, 20" x 10"-50.

Gr. 4.-Another gargoyle like the last, 18" x 10" 25.

Gr. 5.-A stone, about 10' square, having a lotus rosette of its own size sculptured on one face.

Gr. 6.-A circular stone, 2' 6" in diameter, bearing a representation of a lotus flower. Many of these ornaments appear in the Muhammadan buildings photographed in Ravenshaw's "Gaur." They were let in generally as isolated ornaments in the tympana of arches, over doorways, &c. They were probably originally from Hindu temples and selected for purposes of ornamentation. The resemblance to the lotus medallions of Bharhut is very marked.

Said to have been removed from the Adina mosque. Gr. 7.-A portion of a cornice, 39" x 10" 75 high. Gr. 8.-A portion of a cornice, 30′′ × 14′′.50 x 18" 75. Gr. 9.-A portion of a cornice, measuring 28" 50 × 6′′·50, with triangular eminences at intervals and with ornaments in relief along the front of the moulding but too obscure to make out.

Gr. 10.-A fragment, 16" 50 x 10", probably part of the base of a pedestal. It consists of two pilasters with an architrave defining a recess which probably contained a figure. The pilaster resembles the pillar from Buddha Gayā.

Gr. 11.-A portion of a frieze measuring 24"50 × 12", and of the same style of design as Gr. 2 of this series, viz., the upper portion of a human figure holding up in each hand three beaded strings which cross each other below, and issue

1 Proc. As. Soc. Beng., 1875, p. 93.

from each side of the mouth of a ṣārdula head, a beaded tassel hanging down from its middle.

Gr. 12.-Another, and somewhat similar stone, measuring 24" x 12" 75.

Gr. 13.-An elongated slab, 39" 75 x 15", with eight erect male human figures in a line, the last figure issuing from a gigantic human head of which only the shoulders are seen. There are thus nine figures in all, and they probably represent the Navagrahah, or nine planets, i e., the Sun-god (Surya), Moon-god (C'andra), Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, Rāhu (dragon's head, or ascending node of the moon, and cause of eclipses), and Ketu (dragon's tail).1

Gr. 14.—A slab, 23" 50 × 16′′ 75, bearing an erect, nearly nude female figure, in relief, with a finger of her left hand at her lips, but the figure is considerably defaced. It stands in a recess, and there appears to have been one, or more smaller human figures at the left side.

Gr. 15.—A slab, 27" 50 x 25"-50, with a varying thickness, the maximum being about 14". One side is occupied by the upper two-thirds of a body of a six-armed Durga, destroying Mahisha the buffalo demon, but, although the subject has only been commenced, and is marked by the parallel lines of the sculptor, it has been defaced by the Muhammudans and used by them as an ornamental stone for a mosque, the other face being elaborately carved as a panel with an arabesque border. The panel consists of a scalloped arch, with a lotus rosette on each of its sides, surrounded by richly foliated devices, the arch itself enclosing a complicated foliaged design that occurs commonly on Muhammadan sculptures at Gaur.

Gr. 16.—A mass, measuring 22"-75 × 28′′ × 19′′, being part

Williams' Hinduism, p. 166.

On

of the wall of a building, on which the device of a lion-like monster rampant over an elephant has been depicted. one of the adjoining sides there is a portion of an arabesque. Gr. 17.—A fragment of a stone of a Hindu temple, 19′50 × 10" 25. It has been arched on one side by the Muhammadans, while the under surface still retains a piece of Hindu sculpture of an obese male human figure, seated in a recess defined by very short pillars with heavy bracket capitals, and half a lotus medallion below.

In

Gr. 18.-A large slab, measuring 67′′ × 20" 25. It has a wide external margin varying from 6"50 to 10" in breadth, perfectly plain, with the exception that it bears the marks of the chisel. An elongated space is defined by the foregoing margin, and within this space is an arch, the outer margin of which springs at 2"-75 internal to the border of the space, thus defining a triangular area at each corner. the one to the right, there are a Gandharva and an Apsaras, leaning against one another so as to fill up the space, their tails ending in a foliated scroll. The male figure plays a vina, and the female holds a lotus-bud in her hands. In the other corner, there are two vidyadharas kneeling on one limb towards each other, and holding up between them a crown lying on a cushion, while an Apsaras is seated in adoration, on the outstretched leg of each. The arch is 4" 75 broad, and it has a broad border filled up by a rich foliated scroll, very Grecian in character. Underneath the arch there are three small arches supported on chaste IndoPersian columns, the top of each arch being surmounted by the head of a ṣārdūla, the interval between each arch being occupied by a pointed foliated device. Under the central arch stands a small figure of Vishnu with two little attendant female figures. In the recess, on either side, is an erect female figure, the one to the right with a vina, the other to

the left with a chauri, the two probably representing Lakshmi and Satyavama, the wives of Vishnu. On either side of the recess is a dancing girl and her musician.

This has been the entablature over a lintel, and it is in two pieces. It is mentioned in the Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, as having been found in the north-western suburb of ancient Gaur, now called Gangarampur.

It was presented by Captain Layard and J. J. Grey, Esq., to the Asiatic Society of Bengal, on the 4th August 1852.1

Gr. 19.-A fragment measuring 13" 25 × 10′′ having on its face an arched recess, in which is a seated male figure holding a rosette-like object sideways, with floral ornaments external to the recess. No history, but supposed to be from Gaur.

Gr. 20.-A finely carved sculpture representing Surya, the sun or Sun-god, standing on his chariot and drawn by seven horses. His charioteer, the legless Aruna, is stationed in front with a female figure behind him, possibly intended for Ushas, the wife of Surya and personifying the Dawn. A female archer at each angle of the chariot is shooting with bow and arrow, thus symbolizing the rays of the sun. All of these figures are small, and behind the archers, who are the smallest of all, are stationed two human figures on each side, one a man and the other a woman, the two women being chauri bearers. The god has only two arms, and in one hand is a lotus, but the other is too obscure to determine. He wears a high coronal hat with an amlasila ornament terminated by a finial, and his ornaments and dress are much the same as in the figures of other gods, but the sun, and all his attendants wear long boots. On each side of the slab on which the figures are carved there is a mounted ṣārdūla rearing

1 Op. cit., p. 544.

over a mounted elephant. Above this there is a small dwarflike human figure on each side, one playing a vina, and over this is a vidyadhāra. ▲ ṣārdūla head probably formed the uppermost ornament of the sculpture, and in some places where it exists there is a vidyadhara on each of its sides. From the shoulders upwards to the apex of the conical cap, the rays of the sun are represented by a double row of very pointed narrow bands which, below the arms, are modified as an ornament.

Surya, the Sun or its deity, was one of the three chief Deities of the Vedas.

Found in the jungle near Gangarampur.

Presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal by Captain Layard and J. J. Grey, Esq., 4th August 1852.1

Rājmahāl.

This small town, or rather village, is situated on the west bank of the Ganges, about 20 miles to the west of Maldah. The ruins of the old Muhammadan city, now covered with rank jungle, extend for about four miles to the west of the present town. Formerly known as Agmahal, the place was selected as a site of the capital of Bengal by reason of its central position, by Man Singh, Akbar's Rajput General, when he returned from the conquest of Orissa in 1592, and the name was changed to Rajmahal. It is known to the Muhammadans as Akbarnagar. In 1607-1609 A.D., the then Governor of Bengal transferred his head-quarters to Dacca, but, in 1632, Shah Shuja again made Rajmahal the head-quarters of the Muhammadan Government of Bengal, and it was he who built the palace called sangī-dālān in front of which the following pillar was erected after its discovery. It is probable that the Hindu buildings of Gaur, after it

1 Op. cit., p. 544.