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Luminescence dating of brick stupas: an application to the hinterland of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Bailiff, I.K.; Lacey, H.R.; Coningham, R.A.E.; Gunawardhana, P.; Adikari, G.; Davis, C.E.; Manuel, M.J.; Strickland, K.M.

Luminescence dating of brick stupas: an application to the hinterland of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka Thumbnail


Authors

H.R. Lacey

P. Gunawardhana

G. Adikari

K.M. Strickland



Abstract

The domed stupas are among the most distinctive of South Asia's religious monuments and have been shown to be sensitive indicators for their society. Since arguments for economic and political change depend on accurate dating, and since the stupas are largely composed of brick, the authors here assess the potential for dating building sequences by applying optically stimulated luminescence to brick fabric. As so often, good scientific dates obtained from specimens must be tempered by their context: brick may be replaced or recycled during repair and embellishment. Nevertheless, the method promises important insights by distinguishing different episodes of building, and so writing ‘biographies’ for stupas with different functions.

Citation

Bailiff, I., Lacey, H., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Adikari, G., Davis, C., …Strickland, K. (2013). Luminescence dating of brick stupas: an application to the hinterland of Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Antiquity, 87(335), 189-201. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00048717

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 1, 2013
Deposit Date Oct 26, 2012
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Antiquity
Print ISSN 0003-598X
Electronic ISSN 1745-1744
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 87
Issue 335
Pages 189-201
DOI https://doi.org/10.1017/s0003598x00048717
Keywords Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura, Buddhism, stupas, OSL, Hinterland.

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Copyright Statement
Copyright © Antiquity Publications Ltd 2013





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