The Sitnehi tope numbered 2 by General Cunningham contains the relics of the ten apostles who took part in the third convocation under Asoka and afterward aided in the spread of Buddhism on the borders of India. No. 10 tope has the relics of Sariputra and Moggilana.
At San chi, love-scenes and drinking-scenes are re presented, and at Muttra the female figures are nude. Each of the pillars found by General Canning ham when excavating at Muttra is adorned by the figures of naked women in high relief, well exe cuted, richly adorned with necklaces and bangles, and a bead belt or girdle round their middles. Each stands on a crouching dwarf ; and above each, in a separate compartment, are the busts of a male and female figure, either making violent love or drinking.
The Bliarhut tope has numerous bas-reliefs, all representiug some scene or legend, and nearly all inscribed with the names of the principal persons represented, with the title of the Jataka or legend.
About 100 topes have been found at Jalalabad, Manikyala, and in the region from the Indus to Kabul. Manikyala is situated near' Jhelum, on the banks of the river of that name, called by the Greeks the Hydaspes. There are many topes there, one of which is 80 feet high, with a circumference of 320 feet. No coin of a Greek prince of Bactria has ever been met with in any of these topes. No coins have been found in any Indian topes; but in all the Afghanistan topes coins are found deposited with the relics. The topes have been examined by Dr. Honigberger (1835), Mr. Masson, Generals Ventura, Court (1833-34), and Cunningham, and were described by Professor Wilson in his Ariana Antigua. The topes at Jalalabad differ from those
of India in being smaller in size, taller in propor tion to their breadth, aud having a far rnore tower like appearance, except the Sarnath example. The largest, at Darunta, is only 160 feet in circum feience. This is the usual size of the first-class Afghan topes, the second-class being a little more than 100 feet, and icany are much smaller.
These topes or tumuli, it is now admitted, are only cairns regularly built, and this mode of Repulfure is supposed to be alluded to in the heaps, and graves, and tombs spoken of in Job xxi. 32, also xxx. 24, and in Jeremiah xxxi. 21 ; and cairns are still found scattered over all the northern parts of Europe and Asia, and down to Cape Cormorin in Penin.sular India. Amongst others, the tumuli of Halyattes, Cr-testis, etc., have never been properly- excavated, and would probably yield most interesting archreological treasures, and perhaps pay for the work if attempted. Mr. Dennis, English consul, Smyrna, began to excavate the tumulus of Crcesus, but was obliged to stop short of the work. Chiefs of Nakelfe, in Fiji, were I interred in tumuli. The tumuli over the Assam (Allom) sovereigns are very extensive, and when opened, the remains have been found in massive timber coffins, with gold and silver ornaments, and, outside the coffin, various arms, utensils, and implements of agriculture. The same practice pre vailed extensively in America, particularly in Peru. —Ouseley's Trove's, p. 112 ; Cunningham's Bhilsa Topes; Fergusson, Rock-cut Temples ; Masson.