Global Innovations in Architecture History

Architecture history classes act like civilization only built in Europe. That's completely

wrong and you've been lied to. Indian architects were carving entire temples from single

mountains while Europe was stacking basic stones. The Kailasa Temple at Ellora wasn't

constructed, it was excavated. Workers started at the top of a rock cliff and carved

downward for 100 years, removing 400,000 tons of stone to reveal a complete

temple inside. They also mastered the corbelled dome and complex mathematical proportions centuries

before anyone else. Chinese builders invented earthquake proof construction in the 7th century

using interlocking wooden brackets called dougong. No nails, just precision joinery