Ancient Hindu temples had musical pillars

[suchandra]

Ancient Hindu temples had musical pillars

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/ancient-hindu-temples-had-musical-pillars_10059809.html

June 13th, 2008 - 4:44 pm ICT by ANI - Email This Post Email This Post

 

Washington, June 13 (ANI): Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the USA have discovered that some of the Hindu temples, dating back as far as the 7th century, had musical pillars.

 

Paul Calamia and Jonas Braasch say that the pillars were often carved from a single piece of stone, and tune by size.

 

According to them, such pillars were played during certain ritual performances.

 

 

In Spain also, Arturo Sevillano of the Univ. Politecnica de Valenica has unearthed evidence of the likely vibrational modes of bronze vases stationed in various Greek and Roman theatres in such a way that they would make up for some of the acoustic deficiencies of the theatre.

 

On the other hand, Jonathan Abel of Stanford University in the US has made some findings about the acoustics of Chavin de Huantar, a site in Peru that ante-dates the Inca empire by 2000 years.

 

The researcher says that of interest is a series of underground galleries used for ritual purposes.

 

He says that the gallery architecture produces acoustics that adds an auditory dimension to the disorienting underground, maze-like environment.

 

A presentation each on the discoveries made at each of the three countries will be made during a session on archeological acoustics on July 3. (ANI)

[bhaktajan]

please provide an up-date on this.

 

Here's some excerpted stuff I found:

 

Highlights Of Acoustics Meeting — June 30 To July 4 2008 In Paris, France

 

ANCIENT BUILDINGS: GREECE, PERU, INDIA

Modern acoustical studies can help to recreate the sonic environment inside buildings hundreds or thousands of years old. Arturo Sevillano of the Univ. Politecnica de Valenica in Spain reports on the likely vibrational modes of bronze vases stationed in various Greek and Roman theaters in such a way that they (through their resonant reaction to sounds from the stage) would make up for some of the acoustic deficiencies of the theater (talk 4pAAa5).

Paul Calamia and Jonas Braasch of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the USA report on the vibrational modes of the solid granite musical pillars found in some Hindu temples dating back as far as the 7th century. These pillars, often carved from a single piece of stone, were tuned by size and were “played” during certain ritual performances (talk 4pAAa6). Jonathan Abel of Stanford University in the USA will discuss the acoustics of Chavin de Huantar, a site in Peru that ante-dates the Inca empire by 2000 years (talk 4pAAa8). Of interest is a series of underground galleries used for ritual purposes. The gallery architecture produces acoustics that adds an auditory dimension to the disorienting underground, maze-like environment.

 

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here's the coolest 156 page PDF [there is also analysis of "Mrdanga" drum of India!!! on page 4]:

http://asa.aip.org/paris/thursdaypm.pdf