1848.] Essay on the Avian Order of Architecture. 301 



and one third more than its interior diameter, it seems highly probable 

 that such may have really been its full height. The four plain sides 

 were most likely covered by pediments, in which case the base of the 

 pyramid would not have been much broader than the interior width of 

 the temple. My present opinion is that the height of the basement 

 was made entirely dependent upon the height of the roof. Thus the 

 whole temple being two breadths in height, of which the walls were one 

 half, the height of the basement would of course depend upon the 

 pitch that was given to the pyramidal roof. If it was determined to 

 make a lofty roof, the basement was of course lessened in height ; and 

 vice versa, the basement increasing in height as the roof became more 

 flat. 



XXL— Walls. 



1. — The walls of a building are called bhitti, fvfrT, and kudya, 

 «|pg, in Sanskrit, but there are many other names now in use that are 

 not of Sanskrit origin. In the Kashmirian temples the walls are made 

 entirely of large blocks of grey limestone fastened together by iron 

 clamps, several of which are now exposed in the walls of Pandrethan- 

 As no cement has been used in the construction of any of the walls 

 that I have seen, Vigne is undoubtedly wrong when he states that the 

 stones "are cemented with an excellent mortar."* Thornton has 

 noticed this statement and with much judgment has preferred the 

 account of Jacquemont, who says that these walls are "sans ciment," 

 although he modestly declines deciding in favor of the French traveller. 

 As I have myself seen these temples and have examined them carefully 

 I am able "tantas componere lites" by stating positively that no cement 

 whatever has been used in the walls of any of the Kashmirian temples- 



2. — The dimensions of these walls vary very considerably, those of 

 the older temples being thicker in proportion to their interior breadth 

 than the later ones. Thus the thickness of the Takht temple walls is 

 four elevenths of the interior diameter : that of the cave temple of 

 Bhaumajo is two sevenths ; those of Marttancl and of Pandrethan are 

 one fourth, while that of Payach is only one sixth. This gradual 

 lessening in thickness, supposing each diminution to denote a more 

 recent period, agrees exactly with the successive dates that have been 

 * Travels, vol. 1.— p. 386. 



