action archaeology
DESCRIPTION
a new and revolutionary disciple of studyTRANSCRIPT
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYEmergence of a sub discipline
Prof. S. NAGARAJU
INDIA HERITAGE TRUSTBangalore
Presents
Department of History, School of Social Sciences & International StudiesPondicherry University
National Seminar on Emerging Trends in the Study of Indian History and Archaeology
Paper presented at
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
– Is practically Applied Archaeology
– Is utilizing past wisdom for future development
– Transforms a pure academic discipline into a utilitarian technology
– Is an approach which opens up new opportunities to the Archaeologists
– Makes Archaeology more relevant
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
The theoretical premise for Action Archaeology is derived from the Anthropological perspective of cultural evolution
Culture itself in all its manifestations of acquired ability of man is a special strategy developed by the human species for its survival and success
Its character is determined by the way man negotiates with the environment in which he has to live
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Neither the basic needs and aspirations of the humankind nor the general environmental situation on this planet has changed significantly, at least within the Holocene
The progressive stages of cultural evolution as revealed by archaeology demonstrates how varieties of strategies, both material and ideological, were chosen to suit to different environmental situations
The efficacy of this pluralistic approach is proved by the very success that man has achieved on this planet so far
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
The logic behind Action Archaeology is that, successful experiments done in the past for efficient use of specific environmental resources for fulfilling human needs could guide future planning too
It is here that the field knowledge and insights gained by the archaeologist can become an important input for sustainable development
This is especially of great relevance for such of the geographical regions where we find long civilizational continuity, as in India and China
This line of thinking is not just an academic exercise, but a serious attempt to resolve several problems that have cropped up in man-environment relationship in recent years
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
e.g. Ancient knowledge Vs Modern practice
1. Town planning in windy deserts
2. Structural patterns in cyclone prone areas
3. Water management strategies in monsoonal regions
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
RELEVANCE OF ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
IN
EVOLVING LAND USE POLICIES
Agricultural lands Vs Industrialization
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Agri Culture V/S Industrial Culture
The difference between the past and the present and also the foreseeable future is not in the basic feature of man-environment interface, but only in terms of quantity, i.e. in terms of the ever expanding population.
For an orderly and peaceful continuation of the human species, perhaps it is this part that science and technology have to concentrate upon
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Effects of establishing Industries using modern operating procedures for infrastructural development
Agriculturally productive lands are lost Extensive construction activities involving large scale use of cement
& steel causes environmental pollution and global warming Large scale dislocation of population, uprooting them from their
traditional ways of livelihood Growth of industrial clusters with high density population resulting in
imbalance of demand & supply of esential resources like water, energy, increase of transportation, etc putting further pressure on the environment
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Present situation in India
1. Total agricultural land available 73.5 cr acres
2. Agricultural land converted for
industrial use in past 5 yrs 1.97 cr acres
3. Number of families dislocated 1 crore
Source – Dr. Mahadevappa
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Action Archaeology alternative
Settlement pattern studies by Archaeologists & Silpa sastra works reveal two basic principles
1. all human settlements (villages & towns) are located close to cultivable lands & perennial water sources
2. all other activities not connected with the day to day living of the larger populace are located away from the above (military establishments, monasteries, large kilns, mines, etc)
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYIn this context Indian Hill Forts & Rock Cut Architecture, created in hard bare rocky hills, provide excellent solutions for location of industrial & such other activities (SEZs)
Advantages No loss of agricultural land Raw material is local rock only, without involving long
distance transportation No wastage, all bye products can be reused Structures permanent & long lasting and are almost
maintenance free Self Air Conditioned, maintaining uniform temperature &
humidity Aesthetically pleasing Basic needs like water & light can be harnessed locally
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Satara fort
An example of non polluting land use
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Creating opportunities in a bare rocky hill
Mehrangarh, Jodhpur
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
The earliest rock cut caves in India
Barabar Hills, Bihar
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYBhaja
Chaitya cave & residences
Work space & residence in a single unit !
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYKarle
Dimension possibilities – 126 ft deep, 46 ft wide & 46 ft high
Floor area covers ~ 5800 sq ft, interior space ~ 2,60,000 cu ft
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYEllora
Three storied rock cut vihara
Floor area covered ~ 20,000 sq ft
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYEllora
Lighting arrangement for the interior
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYKailasa Rock Cut Temple, Ellora
A full scale structure cut in rock
Rocky trench ~ 120 ft wide, 120 ft deep, 90 ft high
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYKailasa Rock Cut Temple, Ellora
Another view
Gigantic as well aesthetic
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYUndavalli cave temple
Even Khondolite yields to rock cut architecture
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYAjanta Chaitya Hall 9
Aesthetic excellence, intricately carved façade
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGYMahabalipuram Rathas
Why not a township cut in hard granite?
ROCKY ARCITECTUREIDEAL IN THE MODERN CONTEXT
FORSpecial Economic ZonesManufacturing & Service IndustriesSchools, Colleges & Research Institutions Hospitals & Trauma Recovery CentersAssembly Halls, Prayer & Meditation centers Civilian Storage facilities & Military WarehousesSpecial Purpose Spaces viz. nuclear & fallout
shelters, aircraft hangers, etc
and umpteen other uses one may imagine
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
FEASIBILITY
All parts of India
Except Punjab,
Haryana and
Uttar Pradesh
A Chinese Experiment
Dongzhong primary School Guizhou province
A Chinese Experiment
Dongzhong primary School Guizhou province
A Resort in Cappadocia, Turkey
ACTION ARCHAEOLOGY
Thank You All
S. NAGARAJU