Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 1.djvu/170

 136 BUDDHIST ARCHITECTURE. BOOK I. no means so objectionable in practice, they varied with the lines of the supports, and, as these became upright, the jambs became parallel. In like manner, when it was done, the architects could hardly fail to perceive that they had wasted both time and labour in cutting away the rock to make way for their wooden screen in front. Had they left it standing, with far less expense they could have got a more ornamental and more durable feature. This was so self-evident that it never, so far as is known, was repeated, but it was some time before the pillars of the interior got quite perpendicular, and the jambs of the doors quite parallel. There is very little figure sculpture about this cave ; none in the interior, and what there is on the facade seems to be of a very domestic character. But on the pillars in the interior at g and h in the plan (Woodcut No. 58), we find two emblems, and at #,, and /"three others are found somewhat rudely formed, but which occur again so frequently that it may be worth while to quote them here (Woodcut No. 6I). 1 They are known as the triratna, or trident the central point being usually more im- portant than here shown the shield, and the chakra, or wheel. The two first are generally found in combination, as in Woodcuts Nos. 39 and 45, and the wheel is frequently found edged with triratna ornaments, as in the central compartment of Woodcut No. 43 from Amaravati. The fourth emblem here is the triratna, Triratna. Shield. Chakra. Triratna. i in combination with a face, and the fifth is one which is fan-shaped and frequently repeated on coins and elsewhere, but to which no name has yet been given. At a short distance along the face of the scarp, is an excava- tion of some interest, containing a group of fourteen monolithic dagabas of various sizes. All of them have the Buddhist-rail pattern cut round the upper margin of the drum. Five under the overhanging rock vary in diameter from 4 ft. 8 in. to 6 ft. 3 in., and the front two have the square box only on the dome, as in the cave, and without the cornice, while the three behind See ' Cave Temples of India,' plate vij,