Reconstructing the Ayutthaya Kingdom Waterway Network
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Abstract
Water culture was the heart of the city of Ayutthaya during the Ayutthaya Kingdom, with one of its most important elements being its waterway network. Known to many as a “water city”, Ayutthaya harnessed natural disasters, such as annual floods, to benefit everyday life. However, water management of the Historic City of Ayutthaya today primarily uses modern techniques with little to no semblance of the traditional techniques efficiently implemented during the Ayutthaya. This article reconstructs the traditional waterway network that existed within Ayutthaya City Island during the Ayutthaya Kingdom to provide a basis for more sustainable preservation of the historic city. It involves identifying the network by analyzing paintings and maps created during the Ayutthaya Kingdom and comparing them with historical documentation and the earliest archaeological survey map. The results are then overlaid onto a base map by cross-referencing the landmarks depicted in the selected works and the archaeological survey map. The article also discusses the importance and heritage of these waterways in relation to the wider city and civilization.
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