Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/128

 94 BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE. BOOK I. except the stair on one side ascending to the platform, which a trifling excavation would probably disinter. 1 The height of this structure to the top of the dome must have been nearly 40 ft. Besides those already mentioned there are about twenty or thirty topes in the neighbourhood of Kabul, but all much ruined, and few of any striking appearance. So at least we are led to infer from Mr. Masson's very brief notice of them. No doubt many others still remain in spots hitherto unvisited by Europeans. In the immediate vicinity of these topes are found caves and tumuli, the former being the residences of priests, the latter partly burying - places, and partly ruined viharas, perhaps in some instances smaller relic-shrines. Their exact destination cannot be ascertained without a careful investigation by persons thoroughly conversant with the subject. There are still, also, many other points of great interest which require to be cleared up by actual examination. When this has been done we may hope to be able to judge with some certainty of their affinity with the Indian buildings on the one hand, and those of Persia on the other. MANIKYALA. The most important group, however, of the Gandhara topes is that at Manikyala in the Panjab, situated between the Indus and the Jehlam or Hydaspes, about 20 miles south-east of Rawalpindi. Fifteen or twenty examples are found at this place, most of which were opened by General Ventura and M. Court about the year 1830, when several of them yielded relics of great value, though no record has been preserved of the greater part of their excavations. In one opened by M. Court, a square chamber was found at a height of 10 ft. above the ground level. In this was a gold cylinder enclosed in one of silver, and that again in one of copper. The inner one contained four gold coins, ten precious stones, and four pearls. These were, no doubt, the relics which the tope was intended to preserve. The inscription has been read, and is dated in the eighteenth year of Kanishka, 2 so that we may feel assured it was erected during, or not long after, his reign. Seven Roman coins were found much worn, as if by long use, 3 before they reached this remote locality ; and, as they extend down to 1 Foucher, loc. cit. pp. 70, 71 and 74, and figs. 17, 1 8. 2 'Journal Asiatique,' IX* Ser., tome vii. , 1896, pp. 1-25. 3 'Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal,' vol. iii. p. 559.