Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures
From its early origins to the tenth century, the Hindu temple embodied a progressive elaboration of a simple formal schema based on a cuboidal sanctum and a solid form of distinctive curvature. The architectural form of the temple was the subject of wide experimentation, based on canonical sacred te...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Journal Article |
| Published: |
Birkhauser, Springer
2010
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26171 |
| _version_ | 1848751909356175360 |
|---|---|
| author | Datta, Sambit |
| author_facet | Datta, Sambit |
| author_sort | Datta, Sambit |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | From its early origins to the tenth century, the Hindu temple embodied a progressive elaboration of a simple formal schema based on a cuboidal sanctum and a solid form of distinctive curvature. The architectural form of the temple was the subject of wide experimentation, based on canonical sacred texts, within the regional schools of temple building in the Indian subcontinent. This paper investigates the practice of this knowledge in the constructive geometry of temple superstructures, with attention focused on the canonical rules for deriving the planar profile of a temple using a mandala (proportional grid) and the curvature of the sikhara (superstructure) using a rekha sutra (curve measure). This paper develops a mathematical formulation of the superstructure form and a detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of a tenth-century superstructure, based upon computational reconstructions of canonical descriptions. Through these reconstructions, the paper provides a more complete explanation of the architectural thinking underlying superstructure form and temple ornamentation. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:00:13Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-26171 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:00:13Z |
| publishDate | 2010 |
| publisher | Birkhauser, Springer |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-261712024-12-03T09:17:13Z Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures Datta, Sambit Hindu temples mathematical sequences architectural geometry digital reconstruction From its early origins to the tenth century, the Hindu temple embodied a progressive elaboration of a simple formal schema based on a cuboidal sanctum and a solid form of distinctive curvature. The architectural form of the temple was the subject of wide experimentation, based on canonical sacred texts, within the regional schools of temple building in the Indian subcontinent. This paper investigates the practice of this knowledge in the constructive geometry of temple superstructures, with attention focused on the canonical rules for deriving the planar profile of a temple using a mandala (proportional grid) and the curvature of the sikhara (superstructure) using a rekha sutra (curve measure). This paper develops a mathematical formulation of the superstructure form and a detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of a tenth-century superstructure, based upon computational reconstructions of canonical descriptions. Through these reconstructions, the paper provides a more complete explanation of the architectural thinking underlying superstructure form and temple ornamentation. 2010 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26171 10.1007/s00004-010-0038-0 Birkhauser, Springer fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Hindu temples mathematical sequences architectural geometry digital reconstruction Datta, Sambit Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures |
| title | Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures |
| title_full | Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures |
| title_fullStr | Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures |
| title_full_unstemmed | Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures |
| title_short | Infinite Sequences in the Constructive Geometry of Tenth-Century Hindu Temple Superstructures |
| title_sort | infinite sequences in the constructive geometry of tenth-century hindu temple superstructures |
| topic | Hindu temples mathematical sequences architectural geometry digital reconstruction |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/26171 |