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[[File:Vatadage.jpg|thumb|An entrance of the Polonnaruwa Vatadage.]]
A '''vaṭadāge''' ({{langx|si|'''වටදාගෙ'''}}) is a type of Buddhist structure found in [[Sri Lanka]]. It also known as a ''dage'', ''thupagara'' and a ''cetiyagara''. Although it may have had some Indian influence, it is a structure that is more or less unique to the [[architecture of ancient Sri Lanka]]. Vatadages were built around small [[stupa]]s for their protection, which often enshrined a relic or were built on hallowed ground. Circular in shape, they were commonly built of stone and brick and adorned with elaborate stone carvings. Vatadages may have also had a wooden roof, supported by a number of stone columns arranged in several concentric rows.
Only ten vatadages now remain in Sri Lanka. The builders of many of these monuments are unknown, as are their time of creation. The oldest such construction is believed to be the one surrounding the [[Thuparamaya]]. The best example of a vatadage is generally believed to be the [[Polonnaruwa Vatadage]]. Along with it, the vatadages at [[Medirigiriya Vatadage|Medirigiriya]] and [[Girihandu Seya|Thiriyaya]] remain more or less intact.
==Etymology==
Although popularly known as ''vatadage'' now, the structure has had several different names. In ancient Sinhalese literature, this type of structure is referred to as ''vatadage'' or ''dage''. The 12th and 13th century chronicles ''[[Pujavaliya]]'' and ''[[Dalada Siritha]]'' use these names when mentioning the Thuparamaya and Polonnaruwa Vatadage. However, [[Pali]] texts use the name ''thupaghara''. The name ''cetiyaghara'' is also used in some sources.<ref name="Sa115">Sarachchandra (1987), p. 115</ref>
The word ''vatadage'' literally means circular relic house or shrine. ''Dage'' simply means "relic house". Similarly, ''cetiyaghara'' means "[[cetiya]]-house" and ''thupaghara'' "stupa-house".<ref name="Sa116">Sarachchandra (1987), p. 116</ref>
==Features==
[[File:Vatadage-thuparama.jpg|thumb|A model of the Thuparama Vatadage in the [[Anuradhapura Museum|museum of Anuradhapura]], showing what the original structure may have looked like.]]
Vatadages were circular in shape. They were constructed around small stupas for their protection, as well as shelter for devotees. The stupa is located at the centre of a raised circular platform, commonly paved with stone. The vatadage in Polonnaruwa has two platforms, one above the other. This platform contained several concentric rows of stone columns. The columns on the inner row were the highest, while the heights of the columns in the outer rows gradually diminished as they spread further from the center. The number of stone columns and rows have varied from structure to structure, with the vatadage in [[Lankarama]] originally having as many as 88 columns.<ref name="Si285" />
The concentric rows of stone columns were presumably used to support a wooden roof. However, it is disputed if a roof was constructed in some vatadages.<ref name="Am58">Amarasinghe (1998), p. 58</ref> If a roof did exist, the part over the stupa itself may have been domed.<ref name="Si285">Siriweera (2004), p. 285</ref> However, the positioning of the stone columns suggest that the rest of the roof may have been conical in shape.<ref name="Sa116" /> A brick wall often surrounded this platform, and there is evidence that the inside of this wall had been adorned with paintings.<ref name="Am58" />
Vatadages often had four entrances, usually oriented to the four [[cardinal direction]]s.<ref name="Ba140">Bandaranayake (1974), p. 140</ref> However, not all of them have been built according to this tradition, and vatadages such as the Thuparama have only one entrance.<ref>Bandaranayake (1974), p. 141</ref> These entrances were elaborately decorated. The steps that lead to the raised platform were adorned with carvings, as were the [[korawakgala]]s (stone balustrades). A [[sandakada pahana]] (moonstone) was placed at the foot of the steps, flanked by two [[muragala]]s (guard stones).<ref name="Sa117" />
== History ==
Some ancient stupas in [[India]] have platforms decorated with carvings at their bases, such as the [[Amaravati stupa]] in [[Andhra Pradesh]]. Although this type of structure may have influenced the more elaborate vatadage, it is more or less unique to [[Architecture of ancient Sri Lanka|ancient Sri Lankan architecture]].<ref name="Sa116" />
The oldest vatadage in Sri Lanka is believed to be the one at the Thuparama temple in [[Anuradhapura]]. It was built by [[Vasabha]] around an already existing stupa, during his reign from 67 to 111 AD.<ref>Siriweera (2004), p. 282</ref> Although a number of vatadages were built following this, in most cases it is uncertain who constructed them or when.<ref name="Sa117" /> Only ten vatadages now remain in the country. These are located at [[Thuparama]], [[Lankarama]], [[Mihintale]], Polonnaruwa, [[Medirigiriya Vatadage|Medirigiriya]], Attanagalla, [[Hatthikuchchi|Rajangana]], Menikdena, Devundara, and Tiriyaya.<ref name="dn1">{{cite news|url=http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/08/10/fea09.html|title=From Kanniyai to Kokkilai via Tiriyaya|last=Schokman|first=Derrick|date=10 August 2002|work=Daily News|access-date=6 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010114206/http://www.dailynews.lk/2002/08/10/fea09.html|archive-date=10 October 2012|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Of these, the vatadages at Polonnaruwa, Medirigiriya, and Tiriyaya are relatively well preserved, and provide a good indication as to the original appearance of this type of constructions.<ref name="Sa117">Sarachchandra (1987), p. 117</ref> The vatadages at Mihintale and Attanagalla may have been constructed by [[Gothabhaya of Sri Lanka|Gothabhaya]], who ruled in the 3rd century.<ref name="Ba140" />
[[File:Polonnaruwa Vatadage.jpg|thumb|The Polonnaruwa Vatadage.]]
The Rajangane Vatadage, which was probably built during the 7th or 8th century, differs from others in that it has a square platform rather than a circular one.<ref>Bandaranayake (1974), p. 146</ref> The vatadage at Tiriyaya was built in the 8th century.<ref>Bandaranayake (1974), p. 148</ref> The Polonnaruwa Vatadage, considered to be the "ultimate development" of vatadage architecture, was built during the 12th century.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/periodicreporting/apa/cycle01/section2/201.pdf|title=Periodic Reporting Exercise on the Application of the World Heritage Convention: The Sacred City of Polonnaruva|publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Centre|access-date=6 January 2010}}</ref><ref>Prematilleke and Karunaratne (2004) p. 10</ref>
Vatadages were usually constructed around stupas which were either built on hallowed ground or contained a relic of the Buddha or an object used by him.<ref name="dn1" /> The Polonnaruwa Vatadage may have had the [[Relic of the tooth of the Buddha|tooth relic]] of the [[Buddha]] enshrined within it.<ref name="toothrelic">{{cite news|url=https://archives.sundayobserver.lk/2004/12/19/juniorob06.html|title=Vatadage - which protected the Sacred Tooth Relic|date=19 December 2004|work=Sunday Observer|access-date=6 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606010902/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2004/12/19/juniorob06.html|archive-date=6 June 2011|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref> Similarly, it is believed that a hair relic of the Buddha is enshrined at Tiriyaya, and his collarbone at Thuparama. The Attanagalla and Mihintale vatadages are both believed to have been built over hallowed ground.<ref name="dn1" />
== 3D Model ==
The [[Zamani Project]], document cultural heritage sites in 3D to create a record for future generations.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Rüther|first1=Heinz|last2=Rajan|first2=Rahim S.|date=2007|title=Documenting African Sites: The Aluka Project|jstor=10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437|journal=Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians|volume=66|issue=4|pages=437–443|doi=10.1525/jsah.2007.66.4.437|issn=0037-9808}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/xxxiv/6-w6/papers/ruther.pdf|title=AN AFRICAN HERITAGE DATABASE – THE VIRTUAL PRESERVATION OF AFRICA'S PAST|last=Rüther|first=Heinz|website=isprs.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/05/africa/preserving-heritage-african-sites-3-d/index.html|title=Meet the scientists immortalizing African heritage in virtual reality|last=Giles|first=Chris|website=CNN|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/africa/1499880/africas-heritage-sites-brought-to-life-in-3d/|title=Africa's great heritage sites are being mapped out with point precision lasers|last=Wild|first=Sarah|website=Quartz Africa|language=en|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref> The documentation is based on terrestrial laser-scanning.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Rüther|first1=Heinz|last2=Held|first2=Christof|last3=Bhurtha|first3=Roshan|last4=Schroeder|first4=Ralph|last5=Wessels|first5=Stephen|date=2012-01-13|title=From Point Cloud to Textured Model, the Zamani Laser Scanning Pipeline in Heritage Documentation|url=http://www.sajg.org.za/index.php/sajg/article/view/20|journal=South African Journal of Geomatics|volume=1|issue=1|pages=44–59–59|issn=2225-8531}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first1=Heinz|last1=Rüther|first2=Christoph|last2=Held|first3=Roshan|last3=Bhurtha|first4=Ralph|last4=Schröder|first5=Stephen|last5=Wessels|url=https://zamaniproject.org/transfer/Challenges_in_Heritage_Documentation_with_Terrestrial_Laser_Scanning_2011.pdf|title=Challenges in Heritage Documentation with Terrestrial Laser Scanning}}</ref> The 3D documentation of the Vatadage in Polonnaruwa was carried out in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zamaniproject.org/site-sri-lanka-Polonnaruwa.html|title=Polonnaruwa|website=Zamani Project|access-date=2019-10-17}}</ref>  The following structures in Polunnaruwa where also documented in 3D: [[Gal Vihara]]; Kiri Vihera; Lankatilaka Vihara and the Quadrangle ([[Hatadage]]; Atadage; Recumbent-house; Chapter House; Gal Pota; [[Satmahal Prasada]]; Bodhisattva Shrine; Latha Mandapaya; Bodhi Tree Shrine and Thuparama Gedige).
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|last=Amarasinghe|first=Malinga|title=පොළොන්නරුවේ නටබුන්|trans-title=The Ruins of Polonnaruwa|publisher=S. Godage & Brothers|date=1998|isbn=955-20-3051-X|language=si}}
*{{cite book|last=Prematilleke|first=P. L.|author2=Karunaratne, L. K.|title=Polonnaruwa - The Silver Capital of Sri Lanka|date=2004|isbn=955-613-111-6|publisher=Central Cultural Fund, Ministry of Cultural Affairs|location=Colombo|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/sigiriyacitypala0000band}}
*{{cite book|last=Sarachchandra |first=B. S. |title=අපේ සංස්කෘතික උරුමය|trans-title=Cultural Heritage|publisher=Silva, V. P. |date=1977|language=si}}
*{{cite book|last=Siriweera|first=W. I. |title=History of Sri Lanka|publisher=Dayawansa Jayakodi & Company|date=2004|isbn=955-551-257-4}}
*{{cite book|last=Bandaranayake|first=Senake |title=Sinhalese monastic architecture: the viháras of Anurádhapura|publisher=Brill Publishers|date=1974|isbn=978-90-04-03992-6|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tJM3AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA140}}
== External links ==
{{Commons category|Vatadage|position=left}}
{{Sri Lankan Architecture}}
[[Category:Vatadages| ]]
[[Category:Architecture in Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Anuradhapura period]]
[[Category:Polonnaruwa period]]