Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples

Temples were constructed across Southeast Asia following the spread of Brahmanic/Hindu culture between the fifth to eight centuries CE. Epigraphic evidence, architectural and stylistic similarities between temples in the region are strongly indicative of historic cross cultural links between the tra...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Datta, Sambit, Beynon, D.
Other Authors: Heng Chye Kiang
Format: Conference Paper
Published: National University of Singapore 2011
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31631
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author Datta, Sambit
Beynon, D.
author2 Heng Chye Kiang
author_facet Heng Chye Kiang
Datta, Sambit
Beynon, D.
author_sort Datta, Sambit
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Temples were constructed across Southeast Asia following the spread of Brahmanic/Hindu culture between the fifth to eight centuries CE. Epigraphic evidence, architectural and stylistic similarities between temples in the region are strongly indicative of historic cross cultural links between the traditions. This paper presents the findings of a research project that pieces together fragments of evidence from early temple sites in Southeast Asia to establish the linkages between Southeast Asian temple building traditions. The focus of the paper is on tracing the canonical connections between these traditions through an examination of temple sites in Cambodia and Java respectively. The legacy of this ancient diasporic movement remains celebrated today in the admiration of Southeast Asian movements such as Angkor Wat and Prambanan. However this architecture evolved over time through a process of long experimentation with philosophies, world-views, and methods. In order to permit a deeper examination of canonical connections, the authors use methods such as photogrammetry, digital and physical models to reconstruct the architectural forms. A detailed analysis of the canonical geometry and compositional form of these temples is undertaken with reference to Indic texts and temples. Comparing the relationships between cosmology, geometry and physical form in this earlier sites with both Indian and developed Southeast Asian models, it is intended that its generative role with Southeast Asian architectural historiography can be clarified and more fully celebrated.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-316312017-01-30T13:26:28Z Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples Datta, Sambit Beynon, D. Heng Chye Kiang Southeast Asian temple architecture parametric modelling reconstruction Temples were constructed across Southeast Asia following the spread of Brahmanic/Hindu culture between the fifth to eight centuries CE. Epigraphic evidence, architectural and stylistic similarities between temples in the region are strongly indicative of historic cross cultural links between the traditions. This paper presents the findings of a research project that pieces together fragments of evidence from early temple sites in Southeast Asia to establish the linkages between Southeast Asian temple building traditions. The focus of the paper is on tracing the canonical connections between these traditions through an examination of temple sites in Cambodia and Java respectively. The legacy of this ancient diasporic movement remains celebrated today in the admiration of Southeast Asian movements such as Angkor Wat and Prambanan. However this architecture evolved over time through a process of long experimentation with philosophies, world-views, and methods. In order to permit a deeper examination of canonical connections, the authors use methods such as photogrammetry, digital and physical models to reconstruct the architectural forms. A detailed analysis of the canonical geometry and compositional form of these temples is undertaken with reference to Indic texts and temples. Comparing the relationships between cosmology, geometry and physical form in this earlier sites with both Indian and developed Southeast Asian models, it is intended that its generative role with Southeast Asian architectural historiography can be clarified and more fully celebrated. 2011 Conference Paper http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31631 National University of Singapore restricted
spellingShingle Southeast Asian temple architecture
parametric modelling
reconstruction
Datta, Sambit
Beynon, D.
Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples
title Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples
title_full Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples
title_fullStr Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples
title_full_unstemmed Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples
title_short Early Connections: Reflections on the canonical lineage of Southeast Asian Temples
title_sort early connections: reflections on the canonical lineage of southeast asian temples
topic Southeast Asian temple architecture
parametric modelling
reconstruction
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31631