Consider the following statements about the use of stirrup in India : 1. The Konarak horse sculpture (c. 1250) shows a ring-stirrup. 2. A broad, probably wooden, stirrup appears in Khajuraho sculptures (probably 10th century). 3. The iron-stirrup was used in the Delhi Sultans' armies from the thirteenth century onwards. How many of the above statements is/are correct ?

All three statements regarding the history of the stirrup in India are historically accurate. The Konarak Sun Temple (c. 1250) features sculptures of war horses that clearly depict the ring-stirrup. Earlier evidence of stirrup technology is found in the 10th-century Khajuraho sculptures, which show a broad, likely wooden, stirrup used by riders. The introduction and widespread military application of the iron-stirrup are closely associated with the Delhi Sultanate's cavalry in the 13th century. This technological advancement, alongside the concave saddle, provided the Sultanate's armies with superior stability and mobility compared to earlier forces. While primitive forms existed earlier, the iron-stirrup became a defining feature of the 'war machine' of the 13th-century Sultanate, facilitating their rapid expansion across the subcontinent.

Sources

1. [1] https://www.worldhistory.org/image/11647/war-stallion-konarak-sun-temple/