Page:The Indian Antiquary Vol 2.djvu/315

 October, 1873.] NILGIRI REMAINS. 277 effect of keeping them in remarkable preserva¬ tion, for they were nearly as clean and perfect as if fresh from the smith, and several of them remarkable both for Bhape and workmans! lip, and an elaborateness of ornament that seems hard to reconcile with the rude age commonly ascribed to such remains. They are now in the British Mnsenm: a description of some of the more remarkable is subjoined :— 1. A short very broad-bladed sword or dag¬ ger, 14 inches in total length, the blade 91, and 21 in breadth at the widest part—for it is leaf¬ shaped, like swords of the Bronze period in Europe, being broadest at the middle, narrowing to the point, and to the bottom, and again widening as it joins the hilt; it is double-edged: there is a cross-guard at each end of the handle (in this differing from European examples), and the handle is decorated with a minute double wavy beading running down it on each of the four sides, the spaces between each line of beading being filled with an incised arabesque pattern of lines and curves very neatly executed. The inner faces of the guards are also ornamented with a pattern of similar character but different design. The guards and handle—which is per¬ forated, all form separate pieces, held together by a tong secured by a knob, formed of two pieces on the outer side of the lower guard. Another dagger was also found in the deposit, differing chiefly in the blade being narrow and of uniform breadth, and the handle much less elaborate. 2. The head of a spear or javelin, the blade 8 inches long, and 1J wide at bottom, narrowing gradually to the point. Several other smaller heads, of the same character, were found. 3. A javelin-head, 6^ inches long in blade, which is an inch wide at the bottom, tapering to the point, and distinguished by an incised pat¬ tern of curves running in double diminishing lines along three-fourths of its length. 4. A leaf-shaped javelin, 6£ inches long in the blade, which is 1J inch wide in its broadest part, narrowing thence to the point and to the tong, the upper blade double-edged. 5. A remarkable javelin-head, the blade, Sc¬ inches long, widening upwards to a curved con¬ vex edge, an inch wide across ; the bottom deco¬ rated with a raised rib 1J inch long, studded with minute curved lines, and the sides for the same distance ornamented with beading and curved lines in pairs. 6. A plain javelin-head, the blade 3 inches long, but ending in an obtuse angle rather than a point. 7. A long spike-shaped arrowhead, four-Bided but ending in a point, the bottom square, edged with straight and wavy lines, and fixed to a hollow socket, 2} inches long, the arrow-spike itself being 5 inches long and half an inch broad at base. Three other arrow-heads of this pecu¬ liar type were also found in the deposit, singu¬ larly perfect and well made. Arrow-heads of long triangular shape are also found in Nilgiri cairns, much of the same kind as are now used by the jungle tribes, but I have not heard of this spiky type being now in use. Two pairs of twisted bronze or copper bangles were found in this deposit, and several other less noteworthy weapons and objects, the whole much better preserved than any others I have met with. m. In 1848 when at K u n fi r I received informa¬ tion of a large unopened cairn—an undisturb- ' ed example had even then become scarce,—and, on proceeding to examine it, was. guided to an exceedingly high and steep hill over the R al¬ ii y a r, just above where the three roads from Utakamand, Kunfir, andKot agirimeet. It was a very stiff pull up, especially towards the end, where the hill rose into an abrupt sugar-loaf peak. On the top there was a very large and massive cairn of the peculiar Nilgiri type—an immense heap of stones with a circular well in the centre; the sides of the well—built of large blocks carefully and accurately adjusted, the well—about five feet in diameter and six in depth; the wall enclosing it—nearly seven feet thick, and the same height above the ground outside. In fact the word “ heap” applied to the struc¬ ture is misleading; the stones were not loosely piled, but fitted so that the whole structure rather resembled a section of a truncated round- tower;—and none but those who have attempt¬ ed it can appreciate the difficulty and skill re¬ quired to build a wall of loose uncemented stones that will stand firm for even a short period, much more for ages. The central well was entirely filled with comparatively small loose stones rising into a pile. This, though convey¬ ing an assurance that the cairn was undisturb¬ ed, threatened a long and hard piece of work before it could be explored. And so it proved ;