History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c30.s3.1

v1.c30.s3.1

Sculptural representations dated to the first and second centuries B.C. from places like Barhuṭ, Amravati and Sanchi depict walled towns. The walls are surmounted by triangular battlements and have massive gates or gate-houses. These gate- houses were the precursors of laterday ‘Gopuras’ found in temples of South India - with two tall pylon-like structures on either side and a ‘śālā’ type of structure surmounting and joining them. Soldiers manning these walls carry swords, javelins and bows and arrows. No projectiles other than arrows are in evidence. The size of the gate can be inferred from the fact that in almost every depiction an elephant with riders on its back is emerging from it.