Temple Urbanism in Medieval South India
The Tamil country of South India experienced a flowering of political, economic, and cultural forces during the Chola period (849–1279). The environments supporting this expansion were nucleated settlements focused on temples, surrounded by verdant paddy fields with artificial irrigation networks. This article is a study of the sacred sites and nucleated settlements that were the heart of this medieval civilization. The purposes of the study are two: first, to portray the dynamics of early urbanism during a crucial period of regional integration in South Asia, and especially to portray the geography of early centers; second, to provide the basis for a comparative study of early South Indian urbanism and premodern urbanism in other world areas.
The morphological characteristics of medieval temple towns of Tamilnadu
Medieval temple towns of Tamilnadu in South India evolved under the predominant influence of religion and bear this symbolic imprint in their urban form. In this study we present the spatial configuration of seven medieval temple towns of Tamilnadu: Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Chidambaram, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Tirunelvelli, and Tiruchengode. All seven towns selected for this study are glorified Saivite centers bearing individual characteristics of sociospatial formation and yet as a total reflect the significant features of the Hindu urban genotype. We use the space syntax theory that offers a quantitative and comparative approach, to identify temple towns as a unique urban genotype. All seven urban settlements are analyzed separately and compared with each other in order to arrive at the instrumental and symbolic characteristics of their urban space. The main characteristics found in these cities are: a high degree of axiality; more spatial synchrony in a regular settlement pattern; a high level of connectivity with integration cores centered on the temple forming highly intelligible structures. The strong significance of the Hindu urban genotype is established through the rank ordering of urban streets and landmark elements, thus reinforcing the symbolic structuring of the integration core.
The Mound on the Mount: A Possible Solution to the Problem with Jerusalem
Following Knauf's suggestion (2000), the article raises the possibility that in most periods in the second and first millennia BCE the main built-up area of Jerusalem was limited to a mound on the Temple Mount. This mound, which may have covered an area of five hectares and more, was boxed-in under the Herodian platform. At these periods activity in the City of David ridge was restricted to the area near the Gihon spring. In the Iron IIB and late Hellenistic Periods the fortified settlement expanded simultaneously to both the City of David ridge and the southwestern hill. In these two periods there was no need to fortify the western side of the City of David, as this line ran in the middle of the city.