Life, individual and collective, exists in reference to what came before; my research into the life histories of places explores the cultural threads which tie us to places and which allow us to make personal and collective connections between the past and the present. Understanding these life histories helps us understand the value and power historic places have in the world today. This thesis focuses on Mughal caravanserais from northwestern Pakistan, examining how they were initially intended to be used during the Mughal rule of South Asia and how they were reused in the periods that followed (Sikh, Afghani, British, and Pakistani). Caravanserais are walled arcaded buildings where travelers could stop briefly. After the Mughal Empire declined, caravanserais were reused by local people and/or taken over by subsequent governing bodies. Surviving structures are still used today, although their original appearance and functions have been altered to serve new purposes. My research is part of the Caravanserai Networks Project, directed by Dr. Heather Miller, University of Toronto. I develop my survey method through comparative study of two caravanserais, Gor Khuttree and Pakka Khanpur. Using information from architectural survey, historic documents, and photographs, I create three-dimensional architectural models of Gor Khuttree’s occupations. I use access and planning analysis to characterize the use and alteration of the sites’ architecture. Conceptually, I develop a tripartite formation of place: formed, in practice, and in memory. As a multifaceted place, I consider Gor Khuttree’s life history; the occupations, identities, and memories associated with the site through time. The City of Peshawar, central to this research, was at the time of writing in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province. This province was renamed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on April 15th, 2010. This research continues to refer to the province by its former name. This ensures continuity with published documents and the organizational names used by colleagues in Pakistan at the time of research.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OTU.1807/29675 |
| Date | 29 August 2011 |
| Creators | Campbell, Jennifer Lynn |
| Contributors | Miller, Heather |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | en_ca |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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