Early Indian Rock-cut Monuments

The Rock-cut Elephant at Dhauli dates to the 3rd century BCE, carved during the reign of Ashoka. It is one of the earliest rock-cut monuments in India. The Lingaraja Temple at Bhubaneswar was built in the 11th century CE. The Rock-cut Monuments at Mahabalipuram (Pallava period) date to the 7th-8th century CE. The Varaha Image at Udayagiri is from the 5th century CE (Gupta period). Chronologically, Dhauli's elephant is the earliest, dating back to Mauryan times. > Dhauli's rock-cut elephant represents Mauryan-era artistry (3rd century BCE), centuries before medieval temples and later Gupta-period sculptures. Answer: b.