subcontinent were western european travelers in the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries. the earliest european written accounts of india's ancient monuments and hindu temples were produced by sailors and travelers in the 16th, 17th and early 18th centuries ce. some of these accounts included ground plans and drawings of the buildings, however they lacked any historical discussion of their origins, with the exception of several references to alexander the great, the macedonian emperor who had conquered much of northern india in the 4th century bce.