Ashoka's famous stone pillars were mainly carved from which rock?
Sandstone
Ashoka's pillars were carved out of fine-grained buff-coloured sandstone, quarried mainly at Chunar near Varanasi.
Each pillar shaft was a single piece (monolith) of this sandstone, and the shafts and capitals were given the famous high polish, often called the Mauryan polish, that makes them look almost like metal.
Marble, granite and basalt were not the material of these pillars; the Chunar sandstone was transported over long distances to sites such as Sarnath, Lauriya Nandangarh and Rampurva.
Hence, the answer is Sandstone.
Similar Questions
Who among the following became the king of Magadha after killing his father, Bimbisara?
Nagarjuni Caves were donated to which of the following sects by Mauryans?
Who among the following was NOT from the Mauryan Dynasty?
Which of the following languages was generally used in Ashoka’s inscriptions?
Which of the following texts lays down minute details of the administrative and military organization during the Mauryan empire?
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Important Questions from Mauryan Empire
Which of the following is not correctly matched ?
Which of the following Ashokan inscriptions indicates that he did not abolish the Capital Punishment?
Who of the following had first deciphered the edicts of Emperor Ashoka?
Ashoka was ruler of which of the following dynasty?
With the reference of Srilankan literature which are the sources for knowing Mauryan Literature ?
