The Myanmar Urban Tradition in Regional Perspective, with Special Emphasis on Bagan

Gyles Iannone1*, Scott Macrae2, Bob Hudson3, Pyiet Pyo Kyaw4, and Kong F. Cheong5

The indigenous Myanmar urban tradition has roots extending as far back as the first half of the first millennium CE and culminates in the colonial era, with the construction of the new royal capital of Mandalay. Not surprisingly, given Myanmar’s geographic location, the cities representing this tradition exhibit both Indic and Sinic influences. From the perspective of Southeast Asia, these centres, depending on their period of occupation, also adhere to one of two regional urban sub-traditions, which we refer to as the Proto-Urban Sub-Tradition and the Exemplary Centre Sub-Tradition. The emergence of the great Buddhist metropolis of Bagan in the 11th century CE marks the inflection point between these two urban sub-traditions. Closer consideration of this imperial capital illustrates what we know about the ground plans of Myanmar urban centres, what we think we know about their associated settlement systems, and underscores those aspects of these cities that remain poorly understood.