Karle caves

E457035

Karle Caves are an ancient complex of rock-cut Buddhist cave temples in Maharashtra, India, renowned for their grand chaitya hall and intricate carvings dating back to the early centuries BCE–CE.

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Observed surface forms (1)

Surface form Occurrences
Karle Caves 0

Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Buddhist rock-cut cave complex
archaeological site
tourist attraction
architecturalStyle Buddhist cave architecture
Hinayana Buddhist architecture
associatedWith Hinayana (Theravada) Buddhism NERFINISHED
closestMajorCity Pune NERFINISHED
constructionPeriod 2nd century BCE to 2nd century CE
country India
distanceFromMumbai about 100 km
distanceFromPune about 60 km
earliestPhaseDate circa 2nd century BCE
excavationMethod rock-cut
function Buddhist monastic complex
pilgrimage site
place of worship
hasDecoration carved pillars with elaborate capitals
façade with ornate arch (chaitya window)
reliefs of elephants
reliefs of human figures
reliefs of riders
hasInscription Prakrit inscriptions in Brahmi script
donative inscriptions of merchants
hasMainFeature great chaitya hall
intricate relief carvings
rock-cut viharas
stone-cut stupas
hasStructure apsidal chaitya hall
colonnaded nave
large stupa at rear of chaitya hall
side aisles
stone ribbed roof imitation
heritageStatus protected monument of national importance (Archaeological Survey of India)
laterAdditionsDate circa 1st–2nd century CE
locatedIn Maharashtra
Pune district NERFINISHED
locatedNear Karla village NERFINISHED
Lonavala NERFINISHED
locatedOn Mumbai–Pune highway vicinity
managedBy Archaeological Survey of India NERFINISHED
materialUsed basalt rock
mostFamousCave Great Chaitya (Cave 8) NERFINISHED
nearbySite Bedse Caves NERFINISHED
Bhaja Caves NERFINISHED
numberOfCaves approximately 16
patronage Buddhist lay donors
local rulers
merchant guilds
region Western Ghats NERFINISHED
religion Buddhism
state Maharashtra

Referenced by (1)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Satavahana dynasty notableSite Karle caves