The Great Tope of Manikyala

[Dr. Volker Thewalt]

In 1987 (some 11 years ago) I visited the stupa at Manikyala and found it
in a pretty good state of preservation. Of course I also took some photos
which, if I manage to find them, I could make available to you.
I think - if no serious deterioration has happened in the meantime - a
visit is still rewarding.
Regards,
VTh


At 04:55 24.04.98 +0200, you wrote:
>   I've not been keeping up with the literature on (buddhist) archaeology
>   in Pakistan for the last fifteen years, but am still being haunted
>   by an old question:
>
>   What has become of the 'Great Tope' near the village of Manikyala,
>   located to the south-east of Rawalpindi/Islamabad (33' 28", 75'15"),
>   since it was "discovered" at the beginning of the last century?
>
>   I think a remark of Debala Mitra (Buddhist Monuments, 1971) on
>   the old finds in this stupa (coins of Kanishka and Huvishka), is the
>   last information I have about it.
>
>   A reasonable state of preservation of this stupa would be one the
>   main reasons for an eventual trip to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
>
>   I guess there may be more appropriate Lists or Groups for dropping
>   my question. Most lists about Buddhisme however seem to be devoted
>   more to spiritual matters than just old mounds of bricks.
>
>   For any more recent information on this stupa, references to it,
>   or suggestions for other platforms to put my question,
>   I will be very grateful,
>
>   Jaap Pranger
>
>
>
>
>   ---------
>   Reference:
>
>   The "Great Tope" was opened first by General Ventura
>   in 1838. The account of its exploration was first published by
>   Wilson and afterwards by Prinsep.
>
>   Elphinstone, Mountstuart, "An Account of the Kingdom of Caubul",
>   London 1815, p. 78 (with illustrations)
>
>   Wilson, Horace Hayman, "Ariana Antiqua; A descriptive Account
>   of the Antiquities and Coins of Afghanistan, with a Memoir on the
>   Buildings called Topes, by Charles Masson", London 1841
>
>   Prinsep, James, "On the Coins and Relics discovered by M. le
>   Chevalier Ventura, General in the Service of Maharaja Runjeet Singh,
>   in the Tope of Manikyala", JASBe, no.31, III, July 1834, pp. 313-320,
>   pp. 556-62
>
>   Court, A., "Further Information on the Topes of Manikyala, being the
>   translation of an Extract from a Manuscript Memoir on Ancient Taxila,
>by
>   Mons. A. Court, Engineer Officer in the Army of Maharaja Ranjit
>Singh",
>   JRAS, November 1834, pp. 556-576
>
>
>   PS
>   As I have moved less than a year ago and books
>   have not been unpacked, I could not check the
>   page numbers in the references.
>
>
---------------------------------
       Dr. Volker Thewalt
        LaserSatz Thewalt
fon 06223/970122 fax 06223/970123
     http://www.thewalt.de
     e-mail: vt at thewalt.de
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