History of Indian and Eastern Architecture (Set of 2 Volumes)

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About the Book The volume start with Jaina Architecture, the Jaina Sect sprang up almost contemporaneously with the Buddhist, Vardhamana, their last apostle, was a native of Vaishali, in Tirhut, a contemporary of Shakyamuni Buddha and died at Pawa in Bihar. The Second chapter is called 'Northern or Indo-Aryan style (Orissa, Wetern India, Central and Northern India. Civil Architecture), the third part is Indian Scenic Architecture covering the following areas (Ghazni, Pathan Style, Jaunpur, Gujarat, Malwa, Bengal, Kullberg, Bijapur, Mughal Architecture, Wooden Architecture. The fourth part is about further India (Burma, Cambodia) Siam, Java). The fifth part is about China and Japan architecture.

About the Author James Fergusion. (1808-1886) was a Scottish-bim architectural historian, mainly remembered for his interest in Indian historical architecture and antiquities. He was an important figure in the 19th century discovery of ancient India. He was originally businessman, and though not formally trained as an architect, designed some buildings and decorative schemes. His observations on Indian architecture were find published in his book on The Rock-cut Temples of India, published in 1845. The task of analysing the historic and aesthetic relations of this type of ancient buildings led him further to undertake a historical and critical comparative survey of the whole subject of architecture in The Illustrated Handbook of Architecture. being a Concise and Popular Account of the different Styles of Architecture prevailing in all Ages and Countries, a work which first appeared in 1855 in two volumes. It was followed in 1862 by one entitled A History of the Modern Styles of Architecture, being a sequel to the Handbook of Architecture. The 1855 work was reissued ten years later in a much more extended form in three volumes, under the title of A History of Architecture in all Countries from the Earliest Times to the Present Day. The chapters on Indian architecture, which had been considered at rather disproportionate length in the Handbook, were removed from the general History, and the whole of this subject treated more fully in a separate volume, The History of Indian and Eastern Architecture, which appeared in 1876, as the fourth to The History of Architecture. The 1876 work was later revised with additions by James Burgess and Richard Phené Spiers in 1910 and published in two volumes.

Preface Tus following treatises on the Jewish and Muhammadan Calendars were not originally intended for separate publication. They were first written as part of a more comprehensive book containing an account of other Calendars and Eras to which reference was frequently made. When, through the kindness of friends among my parishioners at Hampstead, I found it possible to publish this portion of the work, I gladly availed myself of the opportunity, and rearranged the MS. in such a manner that it assumed its present form. This, I thought, rendered it necessary to add some brief explanatory notes on the Julian and Gregorian Calendars, such as might take the place of references made to Articles in the larger work.

A work of this kind must, of necessity, partake more or less of the nature of a compilation. Without claim to originality, I have endeavoured to bring to a focus materials gleaned from many various sources, as indicated by the list of books which I have consulted. There will, consequently, be found herein little, perhaps, which may not be read elsewhere; but many of the books and pamphlets which have been written on these Calendars are not easily accessible to the general reader, and in many, though rules are given and legal enactments respecting them are stated, the reasons for these rules and enactments are not fully and clearly described. This is particularly the case with respect to the Jewish Calendar; while, with regard to the Muhammadan, the rules for the reduction of Hijra dates to the Christian Era are generally of such a nature that implicit reliance cannot be placed upon them.

I have endeavoured to simplify the rules for both Calendars, and to explain the reasons for them in such a manner that a student who will take the trouble to read this book may not have to encounter the same difficulties which I myself experienced when I commenced the study of the subject. I have perhaps used too much freedom in my criticisms; if that be the case, I can only express the hope that others may be more lenient with respect to errors and imperfections which they may detect in my own work.

I have spared no pains in trying to render the Chronological Tables as accurate as possible by careful revision. The Christian dates corresponding to Tishrt 1, Nisin 15, and Muharram 1 are not usually given beyond A.D. 2000 or thereabouts. I have computed them for an additional thousand years.

I am much indebted to the Rev. Dr. Lowy and to the Very Rev. Dr. Gaster for valuable assistance afforded me with respect to the Jewish Calendar, and particularly to Mr. James Kennedy, of H.M. Bengal Civil Service, in the first place for the suggestion by which the publication of the work has been made possible, and, again, for bringing to may notice many of the books which I have found useful. I have also, through Mr. Kennedy, become indebted to Mr. A. G. Ellis, Curator of Oriental MSS. in the British Museum, who was good enough to correct my transliteration of Arabic words and names. It must not, however, be supposed that any of these gentlemen is answerable for errors or misprints, for none of them has seen either my MS. or the proof sheets.

¬¬¬ **Contents and Sample Pages**

**Contents and Sample Pages**