Ancient Indian Colonization in South-East Asia c11.25

c11.25

As these sculptures must be referred to a date not later than the fifth or sixth century A.D. the representations of shrines or pediments become of special significance as we have got here the earliest specimen of that type of stepped pyramidal roof which is regarded as a peculiarity of South India and a special feature of Dravidian style. As a matter of fact the Sarnath lintel definitely proves that the so-called Dravidian style, of which the earliest specimen is found in the Pallava temples, derived its main features from temples which prevailed at an early date in North India.