History Grade 8: Architectural and Artistic Creations PDF

HISTORY GRADE 8 UNIT 1 1.3 Architectural and Artistic Creations Architectural Creations Architecture is the study of the field of constructing houses and buildings. The developed knowledge of architecture that India had was transferred to Sri Lanka due to the arrival of Ar...

HISTORY GRADE 8 UNIT 1 1.3 Architectural and Artistic Creations Architectural Creations Architecture is the study of the field of constructing houses and buildings. The developed knowledge of architecture that India had was transferred to Sri Lanka due to the arrival of Arahat Mahinda. Most of the architectural creations including buildings that have been discovered so far from various parts of the country belong to the eras after King Dutugemunu’s reign. Most of those creations can be considered to have been constructed for religious purposes or for the use of Bhikkus. Architecture Architectural creations belonging to Rajarata civilization can be divided into two parts. The main parts of a Dagoba Pesa Walalu (basal rings) Garbhaya (relics chamber) Hathares Kotuwa (square chamber) Devatha Kotuwa (cylindrical neck) Koth Kerella (conical spire) Kotha (pinnacle)  To enhance the aesthetic value of a dagoba, four Vahalkadas (frontispieces) have been constructed facing the four cardinal directions. The most remarkable Vahalkada belonging to the Rajarata era is found from the eastern side of Kantaka Chetiya in Mihintale. Write a brief introduction with examples of the following religious buildings. Add pictures 1. Dagoba 2. Chetiyagara 3. Bodhigara 4. Image houses 5. Devala  Non-religious Buildings Royal Palaces During the Anuradhapura period, the palaces of kings and the highest nobility had been constructed in the inner city. Ex; Sigiriya – King Kashayapa (It has been beautified with water parks, rock parks, and boundary walls (ketapath pawra).) Vijayaba palace in the inner city of Anuradhapura is the oldest palace belonging to Polonnaruwa period.  The most remarkable royal palace belonging to that period is the Vaijayantha Prasadaya situated in the inner city of Polonnaruwa. This palace, which had been constructed by King Parakramabahu I, had seven floors. Even today, there are remains of three floors and the flight of stairs that had been constructed to climb up to the upper floors Ruins of a smaller palace that had been constructed according to the plan of the Vaijayantha Prasadaya is found from Panduwas Nuwara, too. This palace is considered to have been constructed by King Parakramabahu when he was the ruler of Dakkina Deshaya (Southern Lanka) Hospitals Ruins of ancient hospitals have been discovered from several areas. Medigiriaya Mihintale Alahana Pirivena in Polonnaruwa The hospitals had constituted a central courtyard and rooms connected to that for in- house patients, storerooms, halls in which medicines were manufactured and a dispensary. The medicinal bath (Beheth Oruwa) found from these hospital sites is a unique creation. Medical equipment has also been found from the premises of Alahana Pirivena. Toilets Due consideration had been given to the sanitary conditions of the people in the ancient times and therefore well-planned toilets and urinals had been constructed for that. They had not even let out the waste water from urinals directly into the soil; several clay pots had been put one on top of the other so that the waste water is filtered before it is released into the soil.  Artistic Creations Statues Statues of the Buddha During the Anuradhapura period statues of the Buddha had been constructed in three postures. ❖ Standing - Avukana statue, Resvehera statue, and Maligawila statue (Anuradhapura era) ❖ Sitting - Samadhi Buddha Statue, Tholuwila Buddha Statue (Anuradhapura era) ❖ Reclining positions - Uttararama or Gal Vihara statues (Polonnaruwa era) The most commonly found are the statues of Dhyana Mudra (meditation posture) in Veerasana (seated with the legs crossed) Bodhisathwa Statues Worshipping Bodhisathwa statues became popular with the spread of Mahayana ideals in this country. Ex; ❖ Dambegoda Bodhisathwa statue – remarkable Bodhisathwa statues in Anuradhapura era ❖ Buduruwagala Bodhisathwa statue ❖ Weligama Bodhisathwa statue ❖ Kushtarajagala Bodhisathwa statue ❖ Yatalavehera Bodhisathwa statue Statues of the royalty and others King Dutugemunu found from the courtyard of Ruwanweliseya King Bhathikabhaya King Parakramabahu’s (Some scholars have opined that this is not a statue of king Parakramabahu, but of Kapila or Pulasthi Rishi ) Carvings and sculpture Sandakadapahana is a semicircular (shape of half moon) stone slab placed at the entrance to buildings. At the earliest stage this was a plain stone slab, but later it was decorated with intricate carvings. In the centre of the Sandakadapahana is a half lotus around which a band of creeper design has been carved. Then it is decorated with a procession of swans carrying a lotus bud in the beak. Then is a band with carvings of four animals – elephants, lions, horses and bulls following one another in a procession. The outermost band contains carvings of flames or foliage.  Two most artistic Sandakadapahanas belonging to the Anuradhapura period have been discovered from the Abhayagiri temple premises. The figure of the bull had been removed from the Sandakadapahana of the Polonnaruwa period due to the influence of Hinduism. Sandakadapahana of the Polonnaruwa Other artistic creations guard stones (muragala) korawakgala (balustrade) piyageta (stairs) Isurumuniya lovers The man and the horse head carved on rock Metallic statues - Avalokitheshwara Bodhisathwa statue in Veheragala and Badulla Bronze images/ statues Siva Siva-nataraja Parvathi Soorya (sun) Paintings Remains of such sketches have been discovered from caves Ex; Sithulpawwa, Hindagala, Karambagala and Vessagiriya. Complete paintings have been discovered from Sigiriya. The colours used in these paintings, yellow, bay, red and blue. This tradition of painting has further developed during the Polonnaruwa period. Ex; Maraveediya in Dimbulagala, Pulligoda and in Gal Vihara and Thivanka image house