The Antiquities of Orissa v2.c16.53

v2.c16.53

⁵ On the Khaṇḍagiri Hill the arches over the doors of the Ananta cave, have, under them, a series of blocks projecting from the top of the tympanum, which may be taken as representations of the ends of rafters. They appear to serve as supports to the projecting arch over them, in the same way in which corbel-tables support the cornice in Greek architecture. In either case they may be taken to be copies of wooden models. In Khaṇḍagiri they have been used as ornaments, for the situation in which they occur, carved in solid rock they can contribute very little to the mechanical strength of the superstructure.