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This portion, which serves as a background to the survey is rather disappointing. The presentation of the geographical setting and historical outline (dimensions of the country, migrations from the prehistoric period, etc.) is dispensable; the descrip tion of the means of transport is conventional. Why show the toy cart from a Harappan site or the ancient war chariots of Sanchi, which were not used for transport and did not play any role after the beginning of the Christian era? Why reproduce carvings of Amaravati representing a litter, Ajanta paintings of horses, Tavernier’s drawing of a (French) bullock-cart with shafts? If this preliminary were really needed, land transport should have been analysed systematically in its three principal forms: human porter age, transport by pack animals and cartage.

These introductory remarks are not to the point. However, the rest of the book, i.e. the first-hand study, is impressive. Chapter three on the major travel routes (Agra to Surat, to Dacca, to Kabul), giving the list of all the stages, with the differing spellings of the various travellers, is a painstaking research work. In chapter four through an analysis of ancient texts and the accounts of travellers, the variations of this transit axis of communication from the origins to the Mughal period are well presented.

Chapter five based on an incredible number of documents, analyses the typology and functions of the buildings along the road: bridges, baolis and tanks.

Particularly interesting are the details given about the rest-houses or caravansarais in the Islamic world, in pre-Mughal India, in the Northwest of the peninsula, about their administration and functions, as well as about the kos-minars.

Chapter six constitutes the bulk of the book. It is a catalogue of the architectural remains along the Agra-Lahore highway. For each monument or stage the same pattern or presentation has been followed with minor variations: sources, location, building material, description, decoration, inscriptions, protecting body.

All the information is justified by extensive footnotes, illustrated with maps, drawings, ground-plans, sections, colour and monochrome plates.

Some of the remains are not traceable or not extant, but available references and evidence relating to their dating are scrupulously recorded; others are summarily described. But the well-preserved monuments are beautifully documented.

It is a pleasure to look at the paragraph devoted to the Arab Sarai at Nizamuddin to read the detailed description, the inscriptions, to consider the plans, the photos showing the painted geometrical designs and the moulded stalactites of the eastern gateway. It is also a delight to open the pages devoted to the marvellous Nurmahal Sarai, near Jalandhar with six plans (of the enclosure, of the western gateway, of a corner room, of the central room, of the mosque and hammam), and 22 photographs showing delicate floral designs, animated carved motifs, human figures, birds, elephants and riders, and fights between lions and elephants.

Tribute should be paid to the author for the immense fieldwork involved in this survey, which lasted for more than 20 years. Indisputably this solid presentation throws new light on the Agra-Lahore portion of the Grand Trunk Road.

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