Difference between revisions of "Sigiriya" - New World Encyclopedia
Dan Davies (talk | contribs) (references added, edited) |
Dan Davies (talk | contribs) m |
||
Line 138: | Line 138: | ||
* Bandaranayake, Senake. 1999. Sigiriya: city, palace, and royal gardens. Colombo: Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs. ISBN 9789556131116. | * Bandaranayake, Senake. 1999. Sigiriya: city, palace, and royal gardens. Colombo: Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs. ISBN 9789556131116. | ||
* Bopearachchi, Osmund. 2006. The pleasure gardens of Sigiriya: a new approach. Colombo: Godage Book Emporium. ISBN 9789552096419. | * Bopearachchi, Osmund. 2006. The pleasure gardens of Sigiriya: a new approach. Colombo: Godage Book Emporium. ISBN 9789552096419. | ||
+ | * Ceylon Archaeological Dept., and Senarat Paranavitana. 1956. Sigiri graffiti; being Sinhalese verses of the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries. London: Published for the Govt. of Ceylon by Oxford University Press. OCLC 889931. | ||
* De Silva, R. H. 2004. Archaeological guide to Sigiriya. Colombo: Bibliotheque (Pvt.) Ltd. ISBN 9789558655023. | * De Silva, R. H. 2004. Archaeological guide to Sigiriya. Colombo: Bibliotheque (Pvt.) Ltd. ISBN 9789558655023. | ||
* De Silva, R. H. 1971. Sigiriya. [Colombo]: Dept. of Archaeology. OCLC 572596. | * De Silva, R. H. 1971. Sigiriya. [Colombo]: Dept. of Archaeology. OCLC 572596. | ||
Line 144: | Line 145: | ||
* Murphy, Richard. 1989. The mirror wall. Winston-Salem, N.C. USA: Wake Forest University Press. ISBN 9780916390365. | * Murphy, Richard. 1989. The mirror wall. Winston-Salem, N.C. USA: Wake Forest University Press. ISBN 9780916390365. | ||
* Paranavitana, Senarat. 1972. ''Ānanda-shtavira''. OCLC 164946751. | * Paranavitana, Senarat. 1972. ''Ānanda-shtavira''. OCLC 164946751. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
==External links== | ==External links== |
Revision as of 12:57, 15 November 2008
Ancient City of Sigiriya* | |
---|---|
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
Sigiriya Rock from the main public entrance | |
State Party | Sri Lanka |
Type | Cultural |
Criteria | ii, iii, iv |
Reference | 202 |
Region** | Asia-Pacific |
Inscription history | |
Inscription | 1982 (6th Session) |
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. ** Region as classified by UNESCO. |
Sigiriya (Lion's rock) is an ancient rock fortress and ruins of a castle situated in central Matale District of Sri Lanka.
The site has tremendous cultural and historical significance, gaining acclaim especially for the ancient paintings (frescos) strikingly similar to the paintings in Ajanta Caves of India.
Built during the reign of King Kasyapa (477 – 495 C.E.), Sigriya numbers among the seven World Heritage Sites in Sri Lanka.
History
Sigiriya, inhabited from prehistoric times, has been used as a rock-shelter mountain monastery from about the fifth century B.C.E. Devotees to the Buddhist Sangha prepared caves. King Kashyapa built the garden and palace. Following Kasyapa's death, the site again became a monastery complex until abandoned in the fourteenth century.
British explorer John Still rediscovered the ruins in 1907. Archaeologist Senarath Paranavithana deciphered the Sigiri inscriptions, publishing an authoritative two volume work, "Sigiri Graffiti."[1] He also wrote the popular book "Story of Sigiriya".[2]
The Mahavansa, the ancient historical record of Sri Lanka, describes King Kasyapa as the son of King Dhatusena. Kasyapa murdered his father by walling him alive and then usurping the throne which rightfully belonged to his brother Mogallana, Dhatusena's son by the true queen. Mogallana fled to India to escape being assassinated by Kasyapa but vowed revenge. In India he raised an army with the intention of returning and retaking his rightful throne of Sri Lanka. Knowing the inevitable return of Mogallana, Kasyapa built his palace on the summit of Sigiriya as a fortress and pleasure palace. Mogallana finally arrived and declared war.
During the battle, Kasyapa's armies abandoned him and he committed suicide by falling on his sword. Chronicles and lore say that Kasyapa's battle-elephant changed direction to get a better fighting position, but the army misinterpreted it as the King fleeing. Thereafter the army abandoned the king altogether. Moggallana returned the capital to Anuradapura and turned Sigiriya into a monastery complex.
Alternative stories have King Dhatusena as the primary builder of Sigiriya, with Kasyapa finishing the work in honor of his father. Still other stories have Kasyapa as a playboy king, with Sigiriya a pleasure palace. Kasyapa's fate has been difficult to ascertain. In one version a concubine assassinates him with poison administered. In another, he cuts his own throat when nearly captured in his final battle.[3] The actual use of Sigiriya also leaves archaeologists perplexed. The site may have been created by a Buddhist community, with no military function at all. It may have been important in the competition between the Mahayana and Theravada Buddhist traditions in ancient Sri Lanka
Archaeological remains and features
Sigiriya rock, the hardened magma plug from an extinct and long-eroded volcano, stands high above the surrounding plain visible for miles in all directions. The rock rests on a steep mound that rises abruptly from the flat plain surrounding it, rising 370 meters of sheer wall on all sides, in many places overhanging the base. Elliptical in plan, the hill has a flat top that slopes gradually along the long axis of the ellipse.[4]
Sigiriya consists of an ancient castle built by King Kasyapa during the fifth century C.E.. The Sigiriya site has the remains of an upper palace situated on the flat top of the rock, a mid-level terrace that includes the Lion Gate and the mirror wall with its frescoes, the lower palace that clings to the slopes below the rock, and the moats, walls and gardens that extend for some hundreds of metres out from the base of the rock. The site most likely served as both a palace and fortress. Well enough preserved, Sigiriya provides the visitor with a stunning insight into the ingenuity and creativity of its builders.
The upper palace on the top of the rock includes cisterns cut into the rock that still retain water. The moats and walls that surround the lower palace have retained much of their original exquisite beautiful.[5]
Site plan
Archaeologists consider Sigiriya one of the most important urban sites of the first millennium, revealing an elaborate and imaginative city plan. The planning had combined concepts of symmetry and asymmetry to intentionally interlock the geometrical plan and the natural form of the surroundings. On the west side of the rock, a symmetrically planned park for the royals lies. Some of the water retaining structures, including sophisticated subsurface hydraulic systems, still function.
The south side reveals a man made reservoir of the type used extensively in dry zones of ancient Sri Lanka. Five gates mark entrances to the city, the more elaborate western gate may have been reserved for royalty.[6] [7] [8]
The Gardens
The landscape of the Sigiriya city, considered one of the most important aspects of the site, has one of the oldest landscaped gardens of the world. The gardens take three distinct forms; water, cave and stone. The water gardens, created according to a sophisticated design, site in the western side. The water gardens contained pools of various depths, with streams flowing over slabs of marble. Underground hydraulic systems provide water into the fountains which still operate. Other water gardens use water courses to cool the pavilions. Stone gardens integrate pathways with pavilions and ponds.
The Mirror Wall
Originally the wall had been so well polished that the king could see himself while walking alongside it. Made of a kind of porcelain, the mirror wall now contains verses scribbled by visitors to the rock. Well preserved, it has verses dating from the eighth century. People from all walks of life wrote on the mirror wall, reflecting on subjects like love, irony, and every day experiences. Writing on the mirror wall has been prohibited by the Sri Lanka government.
Frescos
The paintings originally covered most of the western face of the rock, an area 140 meters long and 40 meters high. Some of the graffiti refers to 500 ladies in those paintings. Many of them have been destroyed, cleaned off the Palace once more became a Monastery so that they would not disturb meditation.
The paintings have been classified as from the Anuradhapura period, but with a unique painting style. The line and application style of the paintings differ from the Anuradhapura paintings. The lines are painted in a form which enhances the sense of fullness of figures. The paint has been applied in sweeping action strokes using more pressure on one side giving the effect of a deeper color tone towards the edge. Other paintings of the Anuradhapura period contain similar painting techniques. But they lack the sketchy nature of the Sigiriya drawings, as the painting of the Anuradhapura period uses a technique of drawing distinct lines.
Image gallery
Outer Gardens and Moat
The complex is surrounded by an extensive set of walls and man made pools.
Gardens
Lower Palace
Mirror Wall and Lion Gate
- WAy Down.jpg
Towards the Mirror Wall
- IMG 3525.jpg
View from the side of the Mirror wall
Top of the Rock
- Sigiriya royal pool1.jpg
The rock cut pool
See also
Notes
- ↑ Ceylon Archaeological Dept. and Senarat Paranavitana. Sigiri graffiti; being Sinhalese verses of the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries (London: Published for the Govt. of Ceylon by Oxford University Press, 1956). OCLC 889931.
- ↑ The Story of Sigiriya: WWW Virtual Library Sri Lanka. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- ↑ The Sigiriya Story (html). Asian Tribune. Retrieved 2006-11-24.
- ↑ Encyclopædia Britannica Article about Sigiriya (html). Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
- ↑ Sri Lanka: Slip Into Antiquity. The Epoch Times. Retrieved 2005-05-04.
- ↑ Sigiriya - The fortress in the sky (html). Sunday Observer. Retrieved 2004-10-10.
- ↑ Sigiriya (html). BuddhaNet. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
- ↑ Sigiriya: the most spectacular site in South Asia (html). Sunday Observer. Retrieved 2006-08-03.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- Bandaranayake, Senake. 1999. Sigiriya: city, palace, and royal gardens. Colombo: Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs. ISBN 9789556131116.
- Bopearachchi, Osmund. 2006. The pleasure gardens of Sigiriya: a new approach. Colombo: Godage Book Emporium. ISBN 9789552096419.
- Ceylon Archaeological Dept., and Senarat Paranavitana. 1956. Sigiri graffiti; being Sinhalese verses of the eighth, ninth and tenth centuries. London: Published for the Govt. of Ceylon by Oxford University Press. OCLC 889931.
- De Silva, R. H. 2004. Archaeological guide to Sigiriya. Colombo: Bibliotheque (Pvt.) Ltd. ISBN 9789558655023.
- De Silva, R. H. 1971. Sigiriya. [Colombo]: Dept. of Archaeology. OCLC 572596.
- De Silva, R. H. 2002. Sigiriya and its significance: a Mahayana-Theravada Buddhist monastery. Nawala: Bibliotheque. ISBN 9789558655016.
- Lokubaṇḍāra, Vi. Ja. Mu, and Patrick Ratnayake. 2007. The mystique of Sīgiriya: whispers of the mirror wall. Colombo: Godage International Publishers. ISBN 9789553006103.
- Murphy, Richard. 1989. The mirror wall. Winston-Salem, N.C. USA: Wake Forest University Press. ISBN 9780916390365.
- Paranavitana, Senarat. 1972. Ānanda-shtavira. OCLC 164946751.
External links
- Sigiriya and its Significance Review by Dr. Nissanka Wijeyeratne. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Official UNESCO website entry. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Department of Archaeology Sri Lanka. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- website of Sigiriya, the 'Mount of Remembrance'. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Video: Digital recreation of what Sigiriya may have looked like. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Sigiriya photos in FOTOSEARCH.com. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Sigiriya.org. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- The History of the Lion Rock. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- The Story of Sigiriya. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- The Mary B. Wheeler Collection, University of Pennsylvania Library. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Sigiriya Narratives. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- The Citadel City. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Sigiriya - The Lion Mountain. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Sri Lanka Tourist Board - Ancient Cities. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- Sigiriya The palace and fortress in the sky. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
- A List of traditional names of cities in Sri Lanka. Retrieved September 7, 2008.
Coordinates: |
Credits
New World Encyclopedia writers and editors rewrote and completed the Wikipedia article in accordance with New World Encyclopedia standards. This article abides by terms of the Creative Commons CC-by-sa 3.0 License (CC-by-sa), which may be used and disseminated with proper attribution. Credit is due under the terms of this license that can reference both the New World Encyclopedia contributors and the selfless volunteer contributors of the Wikimedia Foundation. To cite this article click here for a list of acceptable citing formats.The history of earlier contributions by wikipedians is accessible to researchers here:
The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:
Note: Some restrictions may apply to use of individual images which are separately licensed.