History of Indian and Eastern Architecture v1.c14.26

v1.c14.26

From the time of Asoka, b.c. 250, when the first cave was excavated at Râjagriha, till about the 8th century, or later, the series is uninterrupted; and, if completely examined and drawn, the caves would furnish us with a complete religious and artistic history of the greater part of India during ten or eleven centuries, the darkest and most perplexing of her existence. But, although during this long period the practice was common to Buddhists, Hindûs, and Jains, it ceased before the Muhammadan conquest. Hardly any excavations have been made or attempted since that period, except, perhaps, some rude Jaina monoliths in the rock at Gwâliar, and three in southern India.