Unveiling Hampi Vijayanagara: An Illustrated Lecture on India’s Ancient Capital

During the 1980s and 1990s, Dr. George Michell collaborated with the American archaeologist Dr. John M. Fritz on a comprehensive survey of the 14th-16th century ruins of the great capital city of Hampi Vijayanagara in Karnataka, one of the most spectacular historical sites in India, now inscribed on UNESCO’s prestigious World Heritage List. In his lecture, Michell illustrated the layout of the city and the styles of the sacred, royal, and military monuments that still stand. He also discussed the mythical associations of the city’s magnificent landscape setting.

George Michell trained as an architect in Melbourne and then went to the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, where he completed a doctorate on the 6th-8th century, Early Chalukya Temples in and around Badami in the Deccan. His most recent book is Temples of Deccan India (ACC Art Books, 2021).

This event took place on Monday, October 7, 2024, at Harvard University.

An introduction was given by Jinah Kim, George P. Bickford Professor of Indian and South Asian Art and Professor of South Asian Studies at Harvard University. The Q+A following the lecture was moderated by Rahul Mehrotra, John T. Dunlop Professor in Housing and Urbanization at Harvard Graduate School of Design.

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Timestamps:
00:00:00-00:03:45: Welcoming words by Hitesh Hathi
00:03:46-00:12:36: Introduction by Jinah Kim
00:12:37-00:56:56: Lecture by George Michell
00:56:57-01:39:40: Q+A moderated by Rahul Mehrotra

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