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Polished stone columns were erected by Ashoka at places associated with the events in the Buddha’s life or to mark pilgrim routes to holy places. The capitals of these stone columns provide us with the best remaining examples of Mauryuran imperial art.  Nothing so substantial had survived from an earlier period because the major works of art had been created chiefly of wood.  In the Mauryan period stone sculpture dramatically emerged to become the chief medium of Indian artists.