no 



V. A. Smith — Orn'i-o- Ho, nan Influence 



[No. 3, 



Greek models. Isolated examples of Indo-Hellenic pillars probably 

 existed in other regions also, associated with the specimens of Hellenized 

 sculpture which occur at Mathura and some other localities remote from 

 the Panjab frontier, but, as yet, none such have been discovered, and, 

 speaking generally, the Hydaspes or Jhelani river may be assigned as 

 the eastern boundary of Indo-Hellenic architectural forms. 



The evidence does not, to my mind, warrant the use of the term 

 " Indo- Grecian stylos of architecture," which is employed by Sir A. 

 Cunningham. So far as I can perceive, the published plans of Indian 

 buildings show no distinct traces of Greek ideas, and there is no evidence 

 of the employment of the characteristic Greek pediment or entablatures. 

 The known facts prove only that the Indians used, in buildings planned 

 after their own fashion, pillars copied, with modifications, from Greek 

 prototypes. 



In the outlying province of Kashmir and the dependent region of 

 tho Salt Range a modified form of the Doric pillar was employed. The 

 earliest example of the use of this form is found in the temple of the 

 sun at Martand, which was erected not earlier than A. D. 400, and 

 perhaps should be dated two or three centuries later. Temples in a 

 style similar to that of Martand appear to have continued to be erected 

 in Kashmir down to the time of the Muhammadan conquest of the 

 valley. They are characterized by trofoiled arches, and pyramidal roofs, 

 and were frequently, if not always, built in the centre of shallow tanks. 

 These peculiarities are in no wise Greek. The pillars undoubtedly, as 

 Sir A. Cunningham observes, resemble the Grecian Doric in " the great 

 ovolo of the capital, and in the hollow flutes of the shaft." It is difficult 

 to believe that the agreement in these respects between the Greek and 

 Indian work is accidental, but it is also difficult to imagine the existence 

 of a channel through which the Kashmirians borrowed the Doric form 

 of pillar at a time when every other manifestation of Hellenic ideas had 

 already disappeared, or was on the point of disappearing, from India. 



I cannot venture to deny tho Greek origin of the semi-Doric pillars 

 of the temples in Kashmir, although I am not satisfied that it is fully 

 established. Even if it be admitted, the admission is hardly sufficient 

 to warrant the assertion that the Kashmirian buildings are examples of 

 an Indo-Doric style. The most that can be correctly affirmed is, that 

 these buildings contain pillars which may fairly be described as Indo- 

 Doric. These Indo-Doric pillars, if there be indeed anything Doric 

 about them, are never associated with Indo-Hellenic sculpture, or any- 

 thing else which gives the slightest indication of Greek influence. 

 Tho Kashmir style stands apart, and the study of it throws little light 

 either on the history of Indian architecture, or on that of the diffusion 

 of Greek ideas. I shall, therefore, exclude it from consideration, and 



