Defence Architecture in Early North Karnataka c8.s1.t1.29

c8.s1.t1.29

There are inscriptional evidences too regarding the construction of forts in early times. The earliest is the Hāthigumphā inscription.¹ The Hāthigumphā inscription (Sircar, D.C., 1965 pp.213-221) and (Mitra Debala, 1961, pp.6-7) of Khāravēla (of 2nd or 1st century B.C.), of Mahāchēdi dynasty, refers to the king as carrying out repairs to the fort of the city in the first year. In the region, now called Āndhra Pradesh, the ancient Andhras are described as having many walled cities. In support of this description, a remarkable fort wall is recently exposed at Dhulikatta, by the Department of Archaeology and Museums, Andhra Pradesh and it is identified (Krishna Sastri, V.V. 1978, p.18) as one of the earliest walled cities of Ancient Andhra.