Indian Art: A History of Indian Art from the Earliest Times up to the Third Century A.D. c7.s1.4

c7.s1.4

The houses were arranged in rows mostly sited in the lanes, generally of 27 ft. x 29 ft. or double the size. They were provided with several rooms, a kitchen and a bath-room round a courtyard and were built in two storeys. The height of the brick-built walls as preserved in the streets is about 18 ft. and in the lanes 25 ft. The houses in the blocks are compact, but sometimes separated by narrow spaces of only 1 ft. The entrance was generally placed in the lane for privacy and safety. The principles of foundation, vertical walls in parallel courses, provision of roof probably on wooden beams and rafters, grille windows, niches and plastering were known. The art of masonary was plain and severe without much decoration. Only a few examples of alabaster and pottery grilles for windows have survived. An average door measured 3 ft. 4 inches in width and double in height and was closed by shutters, now perished. Larger doors upto 7 ft. 10 in. also exist. The use of stone for building was practically absent. Even brick pillars were not much in use. Surviving columns are either square or rectangular and no round column has been found.