Page:The Ancient Geography of India.djvu/241

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NORTHERN INDIA. 197


Amakapis, to the west of Râvi, and in the immediate neighbourhood of Labokla, or Lahor.*

The mound of Amba is 900 feet square, and from 25 to 30 feet in height; but as the whole of the sur- rounding fields, for a breadth of about 600 feet, are covered with broken pottery, the full extent of the ancient town may be taken at not less than 8000 feet, or upwards of 3 miles in circuit. The mound itself is covered with broken bricks of large size, amongst which I discovered several pieces of carved brick. I found also one piece of grey sandstone, and a piece of speckled iron ore, similar to that of Sangala, and of the Karâna hills. According to the statements of the people, the place was founded by Raja Amba 1800 or 1900 years ago, or just about the beginning of the Christian era. This date would make the three brothers contemporary with Hushka, Jushka, and Kanishka, the three great kings of the Yuchi, or Kushán race of Indo-Scythians, with whom I am, on other grounds, inclined to identify them. At present, however, I am not prepared to enter upon the long discussion which would be necessary to establish their identity. Loháwar, or Láhor.

The great city of Lahor, which has been the capital of the Panjâb for nearly nine hundred years, is said to have been founded by Lava, or Lo, the son of Râma, after whom it was named Loháwar. Under this form it is mentioned by Abu Rihân; but the present form

  • The identification of Ptolemy's Labokla with Lahor was first made

in Kiepert's Map of India, according to Ptolemy, which accompanied Lassen's 'Indische Alterthumskunde.' It has since been confirmed by the researches of Mr. T. H. Thornton, the author of the 'History and Antiquities of Lahor.'

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