Page:The Architecture of Ancient Delhi Especially the Buildings Around the Kutb Minar 1872 by Henry Hardy Cole.djvu/110

 72 Masjid-i-Kutb-ul-Isldin. nothing to indicate how high the roof abutted over the ranges of the columns against the back of the gateway. There is little doubt that the greater portion of the upper arch was open both at the front and back, and although the building formed a part of the Masjid. it had both in look and intention, somewhat the character of the Triumphal Arch, to account for its appearance in such a place. In order to secure a sample of the Pathan ornament of the middle of the twelfth century, I obtained a cast of a piece of the arabesque and ornamental inscription which encircles the smaller archway on the immediate right of the Great Central Gate, and its situation may be identified on Photograph X., about seven feet from the ground, on .the right hand pier of the Central Arch. This cast, together with the other facsimiles from the buildings, is to be seen at the Kensington Museum. The inscriptions on this range of gateways are : I. By Kutb-ud-din, dated a. d. 1197-8. II. By Shams-ud-din-Altamsh, dated a. h. 629, = a. d. 1231. III. By Ala-ud-din. dated a. h. 710 = a. d. 1310.