Time and Space - A Theoretical and Conceptual Approach in Historical Archaeology (with special reference to Buddhist and Hindu Architecture in Sri Lanka)

This research study intends to investigate the concept of time and space found in Historical Archaeology with reference to Buddhist and Hindu Architecture. The research problem is how to do the analysis regarding the specific Buddhist or Hindu monastic building units situated within the monastery space by using the theory of time and space. The theory of time and space can be introduced as one of the most widely used theories for analysis in the field of historical archeology. And explaining how space can be used theoretically. All architectural creations are created in proportion to their needs, and the conceptual basis on which they are based is analyzed through the use of the theory, which later incorporates and develops various influences into those creations over time and space. The use of space in historical architecture in relation to religious contexts is discussed here with Hindu Buddhist examples. Attention was drawn to the main historical constructions of the Buddha image House and the Hindu Kovil as well as the location of the buildings in the Buddhist and Hindu monastery spaces and the theoretical variations that affect them. In addition to analyzing the use of space through time and space theory in Buddhist architectural constructions in Sri Lanka during the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa eras up to the 19th century, theoretical research shows how to identify the interior space zones of a Buddha image house or a Hindu temple.