“Ancient Architectural Wonders; Science Or Religious Devotion?” A Case Study Of Taxila Monuments

Abstract

Today the science of architecture and its technology has touched its highest level of accuracy and advancement. Very few of us, however, know that the links of this advancement go back to ancient times where our forefathers originated the techniques and trends of architecture. Pakistan is very rich in its archaeological heritage, Taxila valley is one of them. Here a variety of art and architectural wonders are scattered all over the valley, being the victims of time and weather. By studying these monuments, one wonders that how a human hand could make these huge buildings as nearest quarries to the site are miles away. Just like ancient Egyptian Pyramids, these are vast buildings, could have been tall also, although much of the parts are fallen now. The debris here show the grandeur of these monuments. Unlike Egypt, here the building material was stone, rather boulders I must say, and the binding material is mud in most of the cases. Now the present research is about solving the mystery that how did the people of those times could have possibly made these long lasting buildings thousands of years ago? Was that some science or it was a devotion towards their religion? Religion plays a pivotal role in the life of man specifically those who are strict followers of some faith that’s why it is important for a society, but in ancient times when man erected those huge monuments, so was that the fear of gods or simply faith had forced the people to make the humanly impossible task possible? Or was that slavery that made it happen due to the fear of a master or a king?