ICSS 2013
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10231
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Item Change of topography of Sri Lanka through time: an interactive web based tool(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Vidanapathirana, P.; Piyadasa, A.The cultural landscape is one of the main sources when interpreting archaeological evidence. This means the knowledge of change of landscape through time plays a vital role in interpreting the archaeological evidence and events happened in the past. The knowledge of topography during different times in past leads to identification of landscape of events happened in past. It helps to interpret the past events more accurately and understand the different landscape dynamics in past, which were contributed to these events. The sources of the historical topography including inscriptions, ancient manuscripts, ancient maps and plans, cultural landscape, etc. The information in these sources are available in different languages, scripts and representation is based on the regional knowledge. These sources use same symbols and icons to represent the different objects or vice versa. This causes difficulties to Archaeologists as well as Historians to understand the historical topography as it needs knowledge of different domains to get a clear understanding. The aim of this study was to develop a tool for researches in Archaeology and History to simplify the process of identification historical topography easily. The primary data was collected using ancient maps, plans, contemporary records, monuments and other relevant landmarks, inscriptions, ancient manuscripts and field exploration. During the field exploration, GPS coordinates of identified locations were recorded. The reference for these topography were identified after a literature survey. The information identified in the data collection process were recorded using a database. The data were captured into the database in a manner which allows users to query and fetch information easily and fast. They information is presented in different ways including an interactive map with timeline. This interactive map provides valuable information to researches on how the historical topography changed over the time. A separate section of this tool includes the different symbologies and icons used in ancient maps with a description. The tool developed is a web based tool using open source technologies with open access to the information.Item Heritage site management problem in developing countries: a case study on Temple Town Bishnupur, District Bankura, west Bengal, India(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Chatterjee, N.D.The prerogative of cultural geography is to analyse how space, place and landscape are shaped by culture. It focuses on people‟s relationship to the natural world and the modification of that natural landscape into cultural landscape. Cultural landscape is tangible outcome of the complex interaction between human groups with its own practice, preferences, values, aspirations and a natural or modified environment (Knox & Manston, 1987). This interaction is time and space specific. Thus each and every place has its own cultural identity. This identity may become a resource for the further development of that place. So is happen in case of the „temple town‟ Bishnupur. Geographically it is located between 22057‟15” N to 23012‟32”N latitude and 87031‟46”E to 87024‟11”E longitude. The place significance of Bishnupur is historically rooted. It was the capital of Malla dynasty. The Malla kings patronise many handloom and cottage industries including Silk, Tasar, Conch shell carvings, Bell metal, Patachitra etc. Along with this the Malla kings constructed many terracotta and brick made temples as religious symbols. Malla reign faced many ups and downs for several times. Naturally many cultural practices imprinted their material and non material culture to the indigenous Bishnupur culture. The terracotta temples witnessed as piece of evidence of that aculturation process. The temples of Bishnupur and surrounding areas were constructed in 16th or 17th century. The temple architecture of neighbouring state Orissa has a great impact on the temple of the study area. Incarnation of Mughal and South Indian style of temple can also be found (Santra, 1998). The Mughal, Parsic, Indo-Parsic, Hindu classics, Buddhist style and the mythological influences are prominent in terracotta ornamentation. Beside that the influence of Portuguese architecture is prominent (Dasgupta 1980). Thus mixture of tangible or natural resource and intangible resource in form of religious beliefs makes temples as a part of cultural environment which becomes a resource base for tourism. But it is very difficult in the developing countries to promote tourism because in most cases supply of basic needs get priority in the national planning programmes. Thus the architectural heritage sites like Bishnupur though having good tourism potentiality could not get proper priority at Local, Regional, National and International level. The present paper is trying to address such questions related to the management of heritage sites in the developing countries.