KANHERI CAVE 13

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A man-made, Buddhist rock chamber (-cave- temple) used for religious purposes (WEST 1861c: 157-160, cave plan on plate -Plan I-). SITUATION: This cave [Kanheri No. 13] and No. 12 form the group of excavations … raised by a few feet above the bed of the nulla at Kanheri, on its southern side, and near the middle of the length, where its width is increased by its junction with a small branch nulla. CAVE DESCRIPTION: No. 13 originally consisted of three caves, but the walls … have been destroyed, merely leaving traces of their existence upon the ceiling. The two side caves contained inner chambers, provided with the usual benches; while the centre cave was a single chaamber with two benches in recesses, at the back and right-hand side; but owing to the destruction of the walls, this chamber is thrown open to the others and to the outer air. The floor of this central cave was covered with earth, from which protruded the foundations of a circular erection, which appears to have been a smal tope, or dagob [stupa], built of unburnt bricks. This tope was found to be empty, but excavations were made in the earth around … which resulted in the discovery of three other circular foundations … mud seals [tsatsa] with inscriptions, stone pots cut from laterite and containing about a table-spoonful of ashes, a brass or copper ear-ring, copper coins dated 844, which probably coincides with A.D. 1440-1441…