INSCRIPTION GALLERY.

MUHAMMADAN SCULPTURES.

Gaur.

On the North side of the Central platform.

Gr. 1.-A door jamb, 6' 7"-25 high, and 11" 50 in breadth across the carved surface, and about 7" in thickness. The carving of this, and of the adjoining stones is of the very finest and richest description, and much too elaborate to admit of its being described in detail: but one of the prevailing ornaments is the rosette in an amlasīla circle, or in lozengeshaped spaces, the combined figures being placed at regular intervals on either side of wavy tendrils giving off little leaves. These may be arranged in vertical bands in triangular areas over and below segments of arches with erect and pendent finials, or they may be grouped in a square panel about the middle of the jamb. But there are, however, various other forms of ornamentation besides these.

This door jamb and the following twenty-two sculptures are in finely grained black basalt.

They were presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal by the Government of Bengal, 1876.

Gr. 2.-Another stone, measuring 5' 7" in height, and 11" 20 in breadth across the carved face, and about 8" in thickness. It probably formed the lintel of a door.

Gr. 3.-Another similar stone, also probably a lintel, and measuring 5' 8"-50 high, 11"-25 across the carved surface, and 8" thick. A kind of Doric fret runs along one border.

Gr. 4.-Another stone, measuring the same as the last, and probably of the same nature.

Gr. 5.-A portion, probably of a lintel, measuring 2′ 11′′ high, and 11" 25 across the carved face, and 8".25 thick.

Gr 6.-Another portion of a door jamb, 4′ 6′′-50 high, 9"across the carved face, and 6"-50 thick. The ornamentation in this jamb is quite distinct from the foregoing, and the panel, with its enclosed arch, that occurs in the lower portion of the stone merits attention.

Gr. 7.-Another fragment, 1' 6" long by 10" in breadth across the carved portion, which consists of rich longitudinal, foliated bands, the stone being 6" 75 thick.

Gr. 8.-A portion of a moulding consisting of two foliated scrolls. It measures 3′ 9′′ 50 high x 1′ 2′′ broad × 12" thick.

Gr. 9.-A slab, measuring 4' 10"-56 high, and 1′ 8′′.25 in breadth, with a thickness of about 8". The device, which covers the lower third and is in relief, consists of an arch, under which there is a complicated figure made up of the Hom, fleur de lis, and lotus.

Gr. 10.-Another slab of the same character as the last, but broken in two pieces, and measuring 2' 9"75 high, by 2' 1"-25 in breadth, and 8" 50 in thickness. The ornamentation is more profuse than in the last, and covers the whole stone.

Gr. 11.-The upper portion of a slab like the two foregoing, measuring l′ 2′′ high, 2′ 2′′-75 broad, and l′ 1′′ thick. Gr. 12.-A carved stone much the same as the last, measuring 2' 9" x 1' x 10"-60.

Gr. 13.-A portion, probably of a frieze, consisting of the same modification of the Hom as in the carved bricks Gr. 46 -48 from this locality, but without the leaves being indicated.

Gr. 14.-Another portion of a frieze, but more finely carved than the last, and with the same design as on the glazed bricks Gr. 45-47.

Gr. 15-A portion of an arch measuring 1' 6" across the curve, 5" 11 across the carved surface, and l' in maximum thickness, with similar figures to those on Gr. 27 and 23, and, as in them, filled in with foliated devices.

Gr. 16-Another similar fragment, measuring l′4′′.50 × 5" x 7"-75, with a like ornament to the last, but much effaced. Gr. 17.-Another fragment of the same nature as the last two, and measuring 1′2′′ 75 × 8′′ × 1′′.50, with lozenge-shaped figures as above, separated from each other by vertical lines, a beaded line in the middle, and a line below of modified lotus leaves at wide intervals.

Gr. 18.-A portion probably of a frieze, measuring 3′ 4′′ × 11"x11" carved on three faces, with a mortice below. One surface is covered with lines of foliated devices, two lines consisting of lotus petals placed obliquely, and another line of rosettes in circles alternating with lozenge-shaped figures enclosing foliated devices. On another face there is a line similar to the last, with a broad surface below it covered with zig-zag lines defining differently shaped spaces containing rosettes and other floral designs. The remaining surface is much defaced.

Gr. 19.-Another frieze, measuring 2' 3"-50 x 6" 75 × 10-50, consisting of beaded loops crossing one another, and each ending in a tassel.

Gr. 20.-Another frieze, measuring 3'2" 75 x 6" 75 × 6" 50, consisting of a rich foliated device.

Gr. 21.-A portion of a frieze, measuring 2′ 4′′50 × 5′′·50 × 7.50, covered on one face with a richly foliated device.

Gr. 22.-A fragment of an amlasila ornament, measuring 1' 5" x 8" 50 x 1" 9.

Gr. 23.-A portion of a small arch with foliated scrolls internal to it. It measures 7" 50 x 6" 75 × 3".

In Cabinet No. 1, below the east window.
Glazed bricks.

Gr. 24-27.-Four enamelled or glazed bricks, and onethird of another. One perfect brick measures 5" x 3"-40 × 1"-80, and the others are about the same dimensions. The ornamentation consists of a series of triangles in relief, forming a serrated ornament like that in the Gandhāra sculptures. The glaze is dark blue, but the margins of the dentations are marked out by a broad white line.

They were collected from several houses near Gaur. These and the following eight bricks from that locality were presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal by the Government of Bengal, 1876.

Gr. 28-29.-Two enamelled bricks, one measuring 6"-50 × 6" 30 x 3", and the other 6"·40 × 6′′ × 2′′·20. On each there are two designs in relief resembling a modified fleur de lis, each terminating in a cone-like finial. The glaze is deep blue, and each figure is outlined by a double white line, its centre and base being occupied by a foliated design, two devices in white occurring between each ornament, and consisting of a circle with a dot in its centre, and six small fleurs de lis springing from the outside of the circle.

These bricks were obtained from the wall of a house, and are supposed to have belonged to tombs at Banglakot.

Mr. Blochmann remarks J. A. S. B., Vol. XLIII, Pt. 1, p. 303 f. n.-"The removal of inscriptions from Gaur may have been the cause of their preservation. We know from Grant's Essay (Vth Report, p. 285) that the Nizamat Daftar contained an entry of Rs. 8,000 under the head of qímat khishtkár, which was annually levied from a few landholders in the neighbourhood of Gaur, who had the exclusive right of "dismantling the venerable remains of the ancient city of Gaur or Lakʼhnauti, and conveying from thence a parti⚫cular species of enamelled bricks, surpassing in composition the imitative skill of the present race of native inhabitants."

Gr. 30.-A brick, enamelled like the last, but smaller, measuring 5" 20 x 4" 90 x 1"-65.

Gr. 31.-One fragment of an arched brick, measuring 3" x 2" x 1" 60. The enamel is blue and white.

Gr. 32.-Another fragment similar to the last, and measuring 3" 30 x 2" 20 x 1"-20.

This, and the next fragment, were presented by the Archæological Survey of India, 8th September 1882.

Gr. 33. Another fragment of an arch in blue and white measuring 2"-30 x 2"-30 x 1" 60.

Gr. 34.-A fragment of a blue and white enamelled brick, 2" 75 x 1" 70 x 2". The device is a rosette with wavy petals. Presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal by the Government of Bengal, 1876.

Gr. 35.-A fragment of a blue and white enamelled brick, measuring 3"-50 x 4" x 1" 75. The upper surface is a broad blue band, with a white marginal line, and the narrow front surface of the brick is blue, but with two erect modifications, in white, of fleur de lis figures.

Presented to the Asiatic Society of Bengal by the Govern ment of Bengal, 1876.

Gr. 36-37.-A perfect brick, measuring 6" x 2"·50 × 1′′·20, with one end, a corner, and 2" 40 of a neighbouring narrow side enamelled blue and white, with an S-like and hooked figure in white; and a similar fragment, measuring 4" 90 × 2" 40 x 1"-30, but the figures in blue.

These, and the following four specimens, were presented by the Archæological Survey of India, 8th August 1882.

Gr. 38. A nearly perfect brick, enamelled at one end with dark blue round spots on a white ground, and the margins with a blue line, and a white line 1"80 broad on one of the sides. Dimensions 6"-80 x 4"-30 x 0"-95.

Gr. 39.-A fragment, 3"-50 x 8" 20 x 0"-85, with half

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