page_title: Pataliputra capital
section_title: Structure as a pillar capital
hierarchical_section_title: Pataliputra capital / Construction / Structure as a pillar capital
caption_attribution_description: English: Bharhut pillar capital, 2nd century BCE. This capital is now located as the top of the right column supporting the main Gateway in the Kolkotta Museum as seen on this modern photograph: . Another frontal view Front and left side view. Back view. The capital has a trapeizoid shape and is decorated on all sides. It has many similarities with other Indian and Hellenistic capitals. Extrapolated restoration. To be compared with anta capital design at the Erechtheum. Or the Pataliputra capital Occurence of "step pyramid" capital on a Sunga relief at Sanchi.
context_page_description: The Pataliputra capital is a monumental rectangular capital with volutes and Classical Greek designs, that was discovered in the palace ruins of the ancient Mauryan Empire capital city of Pataliputra. It is dated to the 3rd century BCE.
context_section_description: Since both sides of the Pataliputra capital are decorative (there is no blank side corresponding to a wall abutment), it is normally not structurally an anta capital, but rather a pile or pillar capital: the capital of an independent supporting column of square, rectangular or possibly round section. Such capitals, if set on a square column, typically retain the design of an anta capital, but are decorated in all directions, whereas an anta capital is only decorated on the three sides that do not connect to the wall. If set on a round column such as one similar to a pillar of Ashoka, an intermediary piece of round section would be placed between the pillar and the capital, such as a lotus-shaped bulbus capital as those seen on the Ashoka pillars. Rather similar arrangements can be seen, for example, at the Ajanta cave. The Pataliputra capital has two holes on the top, which would imply a mode of fixation with a structural element overhead.
caption: An actual Bharhut capital, using a similar, if more complex, arrangement, with a central crowning capital with rosette, beads-and-reels and central palmette designs very similar to the Pataliputra capital.
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