Photo (1858-1860) of the central arch of the Quwwat al-Islam mosque in the Qutub Minar complex south of Delhi, with an iron pillar in the foreground. The pillar noted for its rust-free metallic composition and is dedicated to Chandragupta II (r. 380-415CE), emperor of the Gupta Empire at its zenith. The Sanskrit inscription on the pillar is written in an eastern variety of the Gupta script. The photograph was taken by Felice Beato, a British photographer of Italian origin who toured sites in North India after the Indian Rebellion of 1857. (c) Victoria & Albert Museum (80117)
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