[2] Most of the figurative sculptures are in relief, with many of the most crowded scenes illustrating stories from the Jataka tales, a large body of literature with complex accounts of the previous lives of Buddha.

[3] More recent scholarship, notably by Akira Shimada (who made a close study of both collections), has tended to adopt slightly later dates.

[4] After enquiries from the Court of Directors of the East India Company, the stones were moved to a slightly less exposed site in front of the museum.

In 1853, the curator of the museum, Dr Edward Balfour of the Madras Medical Service, informed London that the condition of the sculptures was deteriorating due to their situation and in order for the company to make a decision as to whether the stones were of sufficient artistic importance to merit transportation to London, Balfour arranged for a series of drawings to be made of the pieces by the Indian artist P. Murugasa Moodaliar in 1855.

[5] Although in general these drawings gave a good idea of the sculptures, Balfour was not entirely satisfied with their accuracy and therefore persuaded Dr A. J. Scott to take a series of photographs, which were also forwarded to London.

This drew the attention of James Fergusson (1808–1886), who had published a book on Amaravati in 1868 and appears to have expressed his concerns to Augustus Wollaston Franks at the British Museum.

After debates in and out of the House of Commons, Sir Louis Mallet (1823–1890) asked Birdwood to prepare plans for the dispersal of the India Museum in 1879.

[16] As the British Museum database emerged, work on the iconography of the early Buddhist art at Amaravati and Ajanta was being advanced by Prof. Dr Monkia Zin.

[17] Meanwhile, the study of the site's history has been led by Dr Jennifer Howes, who has written articles on the subject and been involved in the online publication of Colin Mackenzie's Album.

Shimada's chronology has superseded earlier attempts to date the phases of Amaravati sculpture and places the stupa in its wider cultural and physical landscape.