Page:History of Indian and Eastern Architecture Vol 2.djvu/553

 CHAP. II. TEMPLES AND OTHER STRUCTURES. 453 tion was the central ridge, the hipped ridge created by the intersection of the main roof, and the projecting eaves at the sides, under these were added further developments in their origin of a constructional nature, but which, in course of time, became more or less purely decorative forms. The illustration, Woodcut No. 490, which is based upon a drawing by a native artist, will explain the typical form of roof just described. In order to accentuate and give more importance to the roof, the ridge was raised much higher, and in some cases surmounted 490. Chinese Roof, with I'rimoya Gables. by vertical pierced terra - cotta slabs, which formed a lofty cresting, and the ends of the ridge were decorated with heads of dragons or fish. On each side of the main roof, but set back about a foot from the verge, a heavy rib of tiles was carried down the roof to about two or three feet below the hip, probably to weight the roof; out of this rib the hip ridge grew, being turned up at the extreme angle. The tiles employed to cover the roof were of two kinds : flat tiles with each side turned up, and covering tiles, the lower end of both being stopped with some decorative device, constituting in the latter a kind of antefixa. The great projection of the eaves required, however, some added support ; with a light roof this could be obtained by a corbel bracket, such as is shown in Woodcut No. 489, carrying the plate on which the rafters rested. In roofs of greater size an assemblage was required, consisting of two to five brackets,