The complex of Ellora temples in Maharashtra state represents the greatest example of cave-excavation architecture in the entire world. Built during the Gupta period of the 6th to 8th centuries AD, the caves were constructed by digging into a mountain side and removing thousands of tons of rock, leaving only the temple structures behind. The most impressive temple is Kailasa Temple or Cave 16. Two great trenches some 90 meters long were dug into the hillside. They were connected at the deepest point by another trench 53 metres across. Beginning at the top, some 30 m high, the mass of rock was hewn into shape, and as each layer was shaped, the carves began ornamenting the structure. Each layer was thus hewn and decorated completely before moving downward, thus eliminating the need for any scaffolding.