topics: |  india-ancient | history | architecture | hinduism

detailed record of the excavation at bhitari, a temple complex from the
gupta period (c.460AD).  the main vishnu temple bears an inscription in
sanskrit declaring it constructed by skandagupta (ruled 455-467AD),
	who, possessing strength of arm most abundantly in the world, is the
	one hero of Gupta lineage; whose splendour is as profuse as renowned,
	who is Skandagupta by name... (verse 2)
		- p.36  (tr. Bhandarkar 1981)

the inscription goes on to suggest some instability - possibly a succession
struggle - after the death of Kumaragupta:
	   by whom, as he was intent upon steadying the tottering sovereignty
	of the house, several nights were spent on a bed, namely, the earth;
	and, having in a battle vanquished enemies who had developed forces
	and treasure, (his) left foot was placed on the royal
	foot-stool. ... [verse 4)
           who, with enemies conquered by the strenth of his arm, established
	again the Sovereign of the House that had turned adrift when (his)
	father had repaired to heaven... (verse 6) p.37

The mound at Bhitari had a sandstone pillar with the above inscription, and
this had been explored by Alexander Cunningham and his assistant Horne.
Though Horne felt these were of Buddhist origin, the presence of several
bricks stamped with the name of Sri Kumaragupta led Cunningham to suggest
that the complex belonged to the Gupta period.

further excavations were conducted by KK Sinha of the BHU Archaeology
department from 1968 to 1973, but little data is available of these
excavations except for  two sketchy reports.  First, a large wall, 1.2m wide and
19.9m long, was discovered near the pillar, running aligned to the base of
the pillar, and suggesting the presence of a temple.  Later, the plinth was
discovered as an original square of 16.4m, one side of which was subsequently
extended to 24m.  Some pre-gupta period walls were also discovered lying
below the plinth level.  The earlier structure appeared to be terracotta, but
later constructions were of stone. 

In Prof. Jayaswal's work (1995-), the rest of this temple (called Bhitari-2 or BTR-2)
was excavated.  The book contains detailed stratigraphic diagrams and plinth
layouts of the temple structure. 

Contents

1 Introduction                                  1
2 Land and People                              24
3 History of Archaeological investigations     32
4 Excavation of Temple no. 1                   48
5 Excavation of Temple no. 2                   81
6 Excavation of Temple no. 3                  128
7 Excavation of residential areas             146
8 Summary and Deductions                      202