Eastern Indian School of Mediaeval Sculpture c7.8

c7.8

This specimen is very small, but its carving is very elaborate. The Sib-bati stele is much larger in size than the one discovered in Bihar. Mr. K. N. Dikshit, Superintendent, Archæological Survey, Eastern Circle, has kindly examined the stele *in situ*, and informed me that the condition of this stele is not very good, as it is worshipped as Śiva at the present day and water is continually thrown on it during worship. Consequently it is also impossible to get a good photograph of it, as it is besmeared with oil and clarified butter, which cannot be removed without the use of soap; but as soap contains grease, an unclean substance according to orthodox Hindu ideas, the worshippers of the stele do not permit its application.²