Inscriptions from a Temple, "Uncha Pahar"

Rubbings of 8 inscriptions made by Archibald Campbell Carlleyle from an ancient temple which he calls Uncha Pahar. He visited this in January 1872 as part of the Archaeological Survey of India. Each of these are labelled, signed by Carlleyle, and dated January 1872:

• Ornament, and inscription at the bottom of the octagonal lower portion of the shaft of the unique round pillar in the pillared vestibule in front of the "Sanctum" of the ancient ruined temple, "Uncha Pahar".
• Inscription in entrance of vestibule, of ancient ruined temple "Uncha Pahar".
• Inscription on a pillar at left side of doorway of "Sanctum" of ancient ruined temple "Uncha Pahar".
• Inscription in two lines on a stone leaning against a wall below the old temple "Uncha Pahar".
• No. 10 Inscription Above first statue on the left hand "Santum" of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".
• No. 13 Above central statue of "Agni" in "Sanctum" of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".
• No. 15 Inscription Above central statue on Right hand wall In "Sanctum" of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".
• On stone bench at the right side in entrance to Vestibule of ancient temple "Uncha Pahar".

Archibald Campbell Carlleyle (Carlyle) was First Assistant to the Archaeological Survey of India from 1871 until his retirement in 1885. Carlleyle went to India to seek his fortune, initially as a tutor. He worked in the Indian Museum in Calcutta, the Riddell Museum in Agra, before joining the Archaeological Survey of India. He was appointed by Alexander Cunningham (1814-1893), Director General of the Survey.

Before his appointment, in 1867–68, Carlleyle discovered paintings on the walls and ceilings of rock shelters in Sohagighat, in the Mirzapur district. He was the first to claim a Stone Age antiquity for these. He was in eastern Rajasthan in 1871-3, the Vindhya Hills and then northwards into the plains with seasons in Gorakhpur, Saran and Ghazipur during the 1870s. He excavated a site at Joharganj in 1879. In the early 1880s he worked in the Vindhya Hills again.

When the Archaeological Survey was disbanded, Carlleyle lost his job and came back to Britain in 1885. He was 54. Living in straitened circumstances in London, Carlleyle disposed of his archaeological collection by sale or by donation to a number of museums and individuals.

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The source of acquisition is unknown.

This material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.

For a biography and description of some of the collections of Carlleyle held by the Manchester Museum see their blog post, Prehistoric India at Manchester Museum I: Archibald Campbell Carlyle.

Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.

The rubbings were made by Archibald Carlleyle. Their subsequent history is unknown.

The Society's collections hold copies of some of the reports of the Archaeological Survey of India undertaken by Carlleyle. Details can be found here.