The Ship in the Cave: The Greek and Nautical Origin of Buddhist Architecture

Abstract

Buddhist architecture rose during the time of the Greek influence in western India, but until today no relationship has been proved between both facts. If we accept that the Greeks stored their galleys overturning and placing them upon stanchions, as the Lycian tombs suggest, we will realize that Buddhist rock-cut temples are inspired by this habit, and that the stupa represents the “heap” of rich objects that Ulysses brings to Ithaca and hides in the bottom of a cave. Another characteristic feature of Buddhist and Indian architecture, the piling up of simple temples in order to form more complex ones, is inspired by the funeral memorial ordered to be built by Alexander the Great in order to honor Hephaestion, which included the prows of 240 quinqueremes. In short, Asian and European religious architectures can have the same and unexpected origin.