Sea-Level Changes and its Impact on Coastal Archaeological Monuments: Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram, a Case Study

Rajani, Mandyam B; Kasturirangan, K.

doi:10.1007/s12524-012-0210-y

Cited by 18 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…While most such traditions are ancient, probably at least 2000 years old, some are more recent and point to continued shoreline change in the last few hundred years. Of these, the most compelling is the description on a 17 th -century Dutch chart of the 'seven pagodas' of Mahabalipuram, six of which are said in myths to have been submerged in a single day long ago [24].…”

Section: Myths Suggesting Long-term Coastal Changementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since many of these cities already had coastal defences -plausibly a response to previous shoreline erosion and extreme wave events -these would have quickly fallen into disrepair, hastening the 'disappearance' of the city and its change from a real to a mythical place. Such a scenario seems applicable to Dwaraka, both the reality and the location of which were uncertain until investigations in the 1980s [67], and to Mahabalipuram about which myths were abruptly validated following the exposure of part of the ancient city by tsunami waves generated by the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake [24].…”

Section: Myths Recalling Abrupt Coastal Floodingmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Geohazards and myths: ancient memories of rapid coastal change in the Asia-Pacific region and their value to future adaptation

Nunn

2014

Geoscience Letters

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Rapid coastal change is common in the Asia-Pacific region yet an understanding of its causes, recurrence times, and impacts is not always clear through the use of conventional geological methods. It is suggested that myths (traditional [oral] tales) are underutilized sources of information about coastal change in this region. This is illustrated by consideration of myths likely to recall (early) Holocene sea-level rise, particularly along the coasts of India and Australia, as well as myths recalling rapid episodic coastal emergence and submergence, the latter including the disappearance of entire landmasses (islands). Two examples of how details in such myths can inform geological understanding of coastal change are given. The first argues that myths recalling the rapid flooding of coastal cities/ lowlands are likely to represent memories of extreme wave events superimposed on a rising (postglacial) sea level. The second suggests that many myths about landmass/island disappearance fail to report the occurrence of rapid (coseismic and aseismic) subsidence even though they provide inferential evidence that this occurred. Few such myths are known to the author from many parts of Asia yet it is likely they exist and could, as elsewhere in the world, help illuminate the understanding of the nature and chronology of rapid coastal change. The challenges involved in helping communities in the Asia-Pacific region adapt to future coastal changes might be partly overcome by the use of appropriate myths to demonstrate precedents and engender local participation in adaptation strategies.

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Section: Myths Suggesting Long-term Coastal Changementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Myths Recalling Abrupt Coastal Floodingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Geohazards and myths: ancient memories of rapid coastal change in the Asia-Pacific region and their value to future adaptation

Nunn

2014

Geoscience Letters

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“…The discovery of Vallabhi town, an ancient port on the bank of the present Ghelo river near Bhavnagar, Saurashtra, Gujarat was facilitated by such signatures 29 . The detection of palaeo-strandlines has also helped in understanding old coastline shapes in Mahabalipuram 30 .…”

Section: Indirect Signaturesmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Science behind Archaeological Signatures from Space

Navalgund

Rajani

2017

Current Science

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Archaeology has traditionally focused on studying historic or prehistoric people and their cultures by analysis of their artefacts, inscriptions, monuments and other such material remains, especially those that have been documented from excavations. This focus is somewhat narrow, because it excludes many new methods that have emerged in the last few decades (described in detail by Prabhakar and Korisettar in this special section (page 1873)). One such novel method is to study large imprints on the landscape caused by human activity. These tell-tale features include soil marks, crop marks, drainage patterns, field boundaries and a host of man-made structures, whose study can provide additional cultural insights. In some cases, these features are difficult to detect by the naked eye at ground level, but are detectable by remote sensing techniques from aerial/space-based platforms in a non-destructive manner. For these reasons, it is now well recognized that examining archaeological landscapes using remote sensing can complement traditional investigations. An analysis of remote sensing data can play an important role in (1) understanding spatial relationships between cultural materials and activities, (2) formulating archaeological sampling schemes, (3) measuring distances and spatial distributions of structures and monuments, and (4) evolving schemes for their conservation.

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“…Research indicates that in the global context, as early as the 1970s, aerial/satellite remote sensing data of both optical and microwave sensors of varied spatial resolution have been extensively used in archaeology for locating sites/artefacts in desert areas and thick forests, especially in the Sudanese deserts, Costa Rica, Cambodia and Guatemala as reported by Osicki 1 . In the Indian context, remote sensing data have been used to study distribution of archaeological sites in relation to the palaeochannels, river migration, coastal geomorphology and neotectonics by both geologists and archaeologists [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] . Satellite images have also been used to investigate ritual spaces and cultural landscapes 10 .…”

Section: Remote Sensing and Gis Applications In Archaeologymentioning

confidence: 99%

National-Scale Inventory and Management of Heritage Sites And Monuments:Advantages and Challenges of Using Geospatial Technology

2017

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India is a vibrant and culturally diverse country with more than 3600 heritage sites and monuments of national importance, of which only 36 are recognized as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. These heritage sites and monuments are precious and non-renewable resources which need to be conserved, protected and monitored. Conventional along with emerging geospatial techniques are required to prepare databases and action plans to manage them effectively and efficiently. This article discusses ISRO's efforts in the last decade in the field of archaeology using highresolution remote sensing data in conjunction with GIS, GPS and other geospatial techniques in various applications like inventory and site management plans for a monument/site, cultural resources management plans for World Heritage Sites as well as in exploration archaeology and research for predictive location modelling in the identification of areas with high archaeological potential. Most of the projects have been executed in collaboration with major stakeholders involved in archaeology and in the process have institutionalized the use of geospatial technology to a large extent in operational and research activities.

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Sea-Level Changes and its Impact on Coastal Archaeological Monuments: Seven Pagodas of Mahabalipuram, a Case Study

Cited by 18 publications

References 1 publication

Geohazards and myths: ancient memories of rapid coastal change in the Asia-Pacific region and their value to future adaptation

Geohazards and myths: ancient memories of rapid coastal change in the Asia-Pacific region and their value to future adaptation

The Science behind Archaeological Signatures from Space

National-Scale Inventory and Management of Heritage Sites And Monuments:Advantages and Challenges of Using Geospatial Technology

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