The Age of the Imperial Guptas c6.38.4

c6.38.4

some personal seal impression always accompanies it.” The seals discovered by Bloch and Spooner at Vaiśālī contain the seals of a number of Chief *Kulikas* such as *Prathama-Kulik-Ograsiṅha* and *Prathama-Kulika-Hariḥ*.² The existence of *Prathama-Kulikas* at Koṭivarṣa in Northern Bengal and at Vaiśālī proves that this office was also a regular institution in North-eastern India if not in the whole of Northern India. The distinction between a *Prathama-* *Kulika* and ordinary *Kulikas* is evident and many of seals of ordinary *Kulikas* were discovered at Vaiśālī. With regards to the *Sārthavāhas* we do not possess any evidence of the existence of any guild or organisation. Spooner discovered an unique seal of another *Nigama* but he could not read the legend definitely. According to him it reads *Makkupali-Nigamasya*.¹