Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c12.s3.5

c12.s3.5

Enclosing only the acropolis and apparently not the city with fort wall is indeed on enigmatic for as early as the Harappan period, we find that at Harappā, Kalibangan and Surkoṭeda "not only the acropolis but also the lower city" were fortified separately, and the chapters pertaining to the forts in Kautilyas' Arthasástra, Mānasāra-silpasāstra do speak of the construction of the forts even round the city capitals not merely of the acropolis. But in Bādāmi the ancient township during either Bādāmi Chālukyan or Kalyan Chālukyan period was much more extensive than the area surrounded by the forts. But at present no evidences are available even in the smallest degree that the whole city was enclosed by the fortwall, and the parts that enclosed the city area had totally disappeared in course of time.