Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/121

 CHAP. Ill, JALALABAD TOPES. 89 made to our knowledge of the Gandhara remains. In 1879 the late Mr. Wm. Simpson, whilst accompanying the British forces, excavated the Ahin-posh stupa, to the south of Jalalabad, and his account of it formed a valuable contribution to our knowledge of this and other remains in the valley. 1 Under Major Cole and others, extensive excavations were also made in Yusufzai and Swat in search of sculptures ; but plans of the structures have but seldom been secured. 2 Lastly, in 1895-1897, a mission was sent out from France, under the direction of Mons. A. Foucher, to make a scientific survey of the Buddhist remains in the Yusufzai and Swat districts. The first volume of the results of this expedition was published in 1905, containing an account of the whole subject, abundantly illustrated and thoroughly scientific. 3 JALALABAD TOPES. The topes examined and described by Mr. Masson as exist- ing round Jalalabad are thirty-seven in number, viz., eighteen distinguished as the Daranta group, six at Chahar Bagh, and thirteen at Hidda. Of these about one-half yielded coins and relics of more or less importance, which proved the dates of their erection to extend from somewhat before the Christian Era to the 7th or 8th century. One of the most remarkable of these is No. 10 of Hidda or Hada, which contained, besides a whole museum of gems and rings, five gold solidi of the emperors Theodosius (A.D. 408), Marcian and Leo (474) ; two gold Kanauj coins ; and 202 Sassanian coins extending to, if not beyond, the Hijra. 4 This tope, therefore, must belong to the 7th century, and would be a 1 ' Transactions of the Royal Institute of British Architects,' 1879-80, pp. 37-64. The plates in Gen. Cunningham's paper, to a native jamadar, is severely criticised (' L'Art Greco-Bouddhiquedu Gandhara,' tomei. p. 2 1 ), as is also the destruction of ' Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of interesting ancient structures by the Public Bengal,' 1879, pp. 205-210, supplied to Works Department. Foucher, in ' Le him by Lieut. Mayne, R.E. do not add j Tourdu Monde, 1899,' p. 486, and 'L'Art to Mr. Simpson's drawings. Mr. J. D. ; Greco-Bouddhique,' pp. I4ff, 47, etc. Beglar, Gen. Cunningham's assistant, was ; 3 Foucher, ' L'Art Greco Bouddhique sent to excavate the stupas at 'Ali Masjid, ; du Gandhara,' contains a masterly account at the same time, but no account of his I of the origin of the classical influence on work seems to have been given not even I Buddhist art in India and the East, and a plan of the stupas excavated ; a few | is richly illustrated from his surveys and photographs in the Calcutta Museum (of | the sculptures stored in various museums, which six were published in the ' Ancient j * The length of time over which these Monuments of India,' plates 103-108) are j coins range more than 200 years is the only evidence of this excavation. ! sufficient to warn us what caution is 2 The way in which the excavations of | requisite in fixing the date of buildings so many of these sites were conducted, from their deposits. A tope cannot be must ever be regretted. Major Cole's i earlier than the coins deposited in it, but, " lointaine direction" of the excavations as in this case, it may be one or two in Yusufzai, leaving the entire supervision hundred years more modern.