The Early History of India, from 600 B.C. to the Muhammadan Conquest, including the Invasion of Alexander the Great c18.89

c18.89

The foregoing review of the civil and military system of government during the reign of Chandragupta proves clearly that Northern India in the time of Alexander the Great had attained to a high degree of civilization, which must have been the product of evolution continued through many centuries. Unfortunately no monuments have been discovered which can be referred with certainty to the period of Chandragupta or his son, and the archaeologist is unable to bring the tangible evidence afforded by excavation to support the statements of the Greek observers. The earliest known examples of Indian art and architecture, with very slight exceptions, still date from the reign of Asoka, when indigenous art had not yet emerged from the primitive stage and when the Emperor himself was employing artists from Bactria or its neighbourhood for the erection of his famous memorials.¹ The exploration hitherto carried out at Taxila has resulted in the discovery of only one relic—an Aramaic inscription of the fourth century B. C.—which can be ascribed to a period anterior to Asoka. Further exploration at Taxila and of the sites of other cities of high antiquity, like Pātaliputra and Vaisālī, may possibly bring to light remains of the early Maurya period, as well as those of previous ages. It is not likely that the ruins of many recognizable buildings will be found, because the larger edifices of ancient India, like those of modern Burma, probably were constructed of timber for the most part, brick being used merely for foundations and plinths. Unless further exploration discloses an unexpected treasure of early Mauryan sculpture in stone or terra-cotta, materials for the history of art during the early Mauryan period must continue to be scanty. It would be unwise to assert that prior to the reign of Asoka the art of building in stone was absolutely unknown in India, or that all artistic work was executed in perishable material; but the ascertained facts indicate that before his day permanent materials were rarely and sparingly used either for architecture or for ornament.² Writing certainly was in common use by certain classes of the population long before the days of Chandragupta; when, according to the Greek authors, the bark of trees and cotton cloth served as writing material,³ and it is surprising that no inscriptions of his time on more permanent material have yet been found. But some records on either stone or metal probably exist, and may yet come to light.