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Talks and Poster Presentations (without Proceedings-Entry):

I. Doubrawa:
"Der rituelle Lebenszyklus - Schöpfung, Alterung und Verfall des Hauses auf Flores, Ostindonesien";
Talk: Internationales ÖGUF-Symposium 2013 - Baurituale: Archäologische Quellen, Kunsthaus Graz (invited); 10-16-2013 - 10-18-2013.



English abstract:
Sources of data on early vernacular architecture in Indonesia are extremely scarce. Due to the perishable materials used, only few buildings reach a high age. If a building is said to be more than 80-100 years old this usually only refers to certain structural parts that have been reused in a newer building. Depictions of vernacular architecture can sometimes be found in temple reliefs, but these usually refer to the respective regional architecture. Information about vernacular buildings through stone reliefs is thus limited to the regions of Indonesia, such as the island of Java, where stone temples were constructed. While vernacular architecture naturally evolves and changes over the course of time, contemporary housing structures may still provide necessary and important clues for the interpretation of archaeological findings of settlements.

The most prominent features revealed through archaeological excavations are usually the traces left by the foundations of houses, such as foundation stones, the remains and imprints of house posts, and construction sacrifices that were often placed underneath these foundations. Unusual structural features that can be detected in archaeological excavations, such as additional non load-bearing pillars, may point to a special function or importance of a house. The island of Flores in East Indonesia exhibits a high level of diversity of architectural solutions and shall thus serve as an example for the rites accompanying the different stages in the "lives" of houses, in order to provide an idea of the kind of information that may be detected in the excavation of vernacular structures.

Once the construction of a new house or the foundation of a new village has been decided, the first rituals concern the selection of the proper site for the new building or village. These rites usually include the placement of food or drinks in the designated spot. If untouched after a certain amount of time this means that so far no spirits feel disturbed through the new building project. The foundation of the house or settlement always receives special attention. In all cultures on Flores the founding rituals are accompanied by construction sacrifices that are placed underneath one or more house posts, or, in the case of a new settlement, are buried in the centre of the village. Depending on the cultural group and type of building, these sacrifices may range from objects to animals, and, in the past, even to human sacrifices. The construction sacrifices connected to the foundation of new structures are believed to ensure a strong base of the new building and the pacification of spirits that might have been disturbed through the violation of the earth. Special care is also given to the marking out of the border of houses and villages. Further important rituals during the construction process concern the placement of the hearth and the completion of the house.

As the house grows older, this ageing is expressed through changes in structure, material and decoration applied to the building. Rituals concerning the house and its inhabitants are indicated through the display of skulls, jaws and feathers of the sacrificed animals. Since the spirits of the deceased ancestors are believed to visit, or even live in, their former houses, some buildings may still be preserved, even if they do not serve as dwellings anymore. Thus houses only lose their purpose once no one feels attached to them - and their ancestors - anymore. The structures are then usually left to decay, since the reuse of plots may attract bad luck, especially if the former owners of the houses were struck by bad luck, sickness or death. In the case of the movement of whole villages, the relocation of sacred structures, such as megaliths, altars or the cult house, would require large rituals that may be too expensive. Thus the site of the old village is often retained as a pure ritual or cult site and becomes charged with ritual meaning and a highly sacred atmosphere.

Keywords:
architecture, vernacular, Indonesia, Flores, construction sacrifice, archaeology

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