Indian

1. a native, citizen, or inhabitant of the Republic of India

2. an American Indian

3. any of the languages of the American Indians

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

Indian

(Buddhist) architecture (300 B.C.–320 A.D.)

The earliest surviving buildings are of timber and mud-brick construction, of which the stupa is the most characteristic; it is a hemispherical mound with a processional path around the perimeter and elaborately carved gateways. The most typical is the stupa at Sanchi. In rock-cut Buddhist temples, the main forms and details follow early wooden prototypes, with elaborately carved stone shrines in which the exterior is more important than the interior.

All types of temples in this style consist of a small unlit shrine crowned by a spire and preceded by one or more porch-like halls, used for religious dancing and music. The stone was laid up rough-cut and carved in place by Hindu sculptors who treated every element on every surface as unique, using the repetition of sculptural forms to achieve a unifying context. There was no attempt to evolve a style or to perfect any particular pillar or column.

The Hindu and Buddhist religions had a strong influence on Far East temple architecture. One of the most well known and representative sites is Angkor Wat located in Cambodia, a temple complex of shrines that was intended as a funerary monument. It is perhaps one of the world’s largest religious structures and was conceived as a “temple mountain” within an enormous enclosure and surrounded by a wide moat. A monumental causeway, framed by giant mythical serpents, leads to the entrance gate. The temple is built on a series of stepped terraces, surrounded by towers at each corner. Vaulted galleries receive light from an open colonnade illuminating the continuous relief friezes which adorn the inner walls. The central sanctuary is a large pagoda-like tower on top of a stepped pyramid. It is joined by passageways to towers at each of the four corners at the base.

An architecture in which temples are enclosed shrines preceded by an open porch, which is often elaborately carved. They have a lighter appearance and are more elegant than Hindu temples.

Indian

[′in·dē·ən]

(astronomy)

Indus

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References in classic literature

From that period down to the time of King Philip's War, which will be mentioned hereafter, there was not much trouble with the Indians. But the colonists were always on their guard, and kept their weapons ready for the conflict.

They felt no faith in the success of any such attempts, because they had no love for the poor Indians. Now, Eliot was full of love for them; and therefore so full of faith and hope that he spent the labor of a lifetime in their behalf."

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The Indians, he says, were friendly in their dispositions, and honest to the most scrupulous degree in their intercourse with the white men.

The immense droves of horses owned by the Indians consumed the herbage of the surrounding hills; while to drive them to any distant pasturage, in a neighborhood abounding with lurking and deadly enemies, would be to endanger the loss both of man and beast.

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Soon after I returned home, I was ordered to take the command of three garrisons during the campaign, which Governor Dunmore carried on against the Shawanese Indians: After the conclusion of which, the Militia was discharged from each garrrison, and I being relieved from my post, was solicited by a number of North-Carolina gentlemen, that were about purchasing the lands lying on the S.

We proceeded with all possible expedition until we came within fifteen miles of where Boonsborough now stands, and where we were fired upon by a party of Indians that killed two, and wounded two of our number; yet, although surprised and taken at a disadvantage, we stood our ground.

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The Indian said, "Is it on the road to this house, and on no other, that the English gentleman will travel to-day?"

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The wandering tribes of horse Indians, which have always occupied the greater part of this country, having of late much harassed the outlying estancias, the government at Buenos Ayres equipped some time since an army under the command of General Rosas for the purpose of exterminating them.

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"I never guessed from his mere outside how valuable an animal he was," he remarked to the Indian, "and I am grateful to you for having shown me my error," said he.

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Here, in an immense wooden building, was the great council hall, as also the banqueting chamber, decorated with Indian arms and accoutrements, and the trophies of the fur trade.

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"I mean that this Indian comes just in the nick of time.

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While writing this book, fully a quarter of a century since, it occurred to us that the French name of this lake was too complicated, the American too commonplace, and the Indian too unpronounceable, for either to be used familiarly in a work of fiction.

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