An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s19.t1.1

v1.c9.s19.t1.1

ing organizations. It was also the administrative capital of Tīra-bhukti, with royal princes as governors, but no imposing structures have been brought to light, nor any religious edifices. The flimsy ruins of the age bear a sad contrast to well-built Kushan structures lying beneath them. On the basis of the present data therefore one has to conclude that in building activities the Guptas, at least in the mid-Ganga valley, did not show any spurt at the habitation sites. The only notable feature was the construction of a burnt-brick defensive wall about 3 m wide and of military barracks. Within the fortified area only a few walls of fragmentary structures of indeterminable character were traced. Remains of only one structure may suggest its substantial character, as a wall was traced to a length of about 17 m with a large number of rooms attached to it. The building was roofed with tiles. At KUMRAHAR were found a brick-built well and numerous remains of brick houses, the walls of which could be traced to small lengths, limited to a few courses of bricks. The only noteworthy and somewhat substantial building complex belonging to the period is the Ārogya-vihāra monastery-cum-sanatorium complex, with small and large rooms, roofed with brick tiles. The smaller rooms may have been occupied by patients individually and the bigger ones could have been for prayers. (Fa Hien refers to monasteries with hospitals at Pāṭaliputra.) In the very limited excavations at CAMPĀ a few brick walls have been traced to some length with mud floors or floors rammed with brickbats, but there is no structure of a substantial character.