Page:Annual Report of the Archaeological Survey of India 1927-28.pdf/22



FOR over twenty-six years Sir John Marshall has been Director General of Archæology in India and has edited all, save six, of the Annual Reports which have been issued since the date of his appointment. During his unusually prolonged period of office as Director General he has acquired an unrivalled knowledge of the monuments and antiquities of India, knowledge which none of his successors holding the appointment for a few years at the end of their service can ever hope to obtain. During these twenty-six years the Archæological Survey has continually extended its activities and responsibilities until the whole attention of the Director General is now absorbed in routine administrative duties. It was felt by the Government of India that the burdening of Sir John Marshall with such duties was detrimental to the interests of Indian Archæology, and in September 1928 he was placed on Special Duty in order to provide him with an opportunity of writing and publishing the materials collected by the Archæological Department and himself during his long period of office. While on Special Duty Sir John Marshall will write a series of books on the excavated remains of Mohenjodaro, Harappa and Taxila as well as on the monuments of Sanchi, Mandu, Delhi, Agra and Multan. At the same time he will continue to hold charge of the excavations at Taxila which have been under his direct control for sixteen years and also co-ordinate the results of the operations of the Archæological Department at the prehistoric sites of the Indus and allied cultures. In consequence of the departmental changes result c