The landscape of Taxila has a unique spatial fingerprint. As a story and history, it is inscribed on geography and as a geography it has imprints of its long history. The spatial narratives of Taxila helps to recreate the past history and historical geography. It has a spatial chronology and it involves historical chorology. The fragment of history provides an alternative way of reading its geography and thus experiencing the landscape of Taxila.
Spatial narratives are representation of geography and narration of history. But these stories are neither (only) geography nor (only) history. These narratives spell out both myths and realities of geography and history and thus help to recreate the historical geography and spatial history. Another fact of special significance is that, the spatial narratives are rooted in geography while still rooted in history. Although, the spatial narratives are usually punctuated spatially they are also accentuated temporally (they underline history).
These narratives are descriptions ofplaces or spaces. Besides, these narratives are descriptions of change in a place or space or any other geographical entity. Therefore, it has relevance for geography. However, the terms seem to gain even more importance with history.
From a different perspective, spatial narratives are spatial history or story which unfolds through space. These narratives are depiction of the contours of a place or space and of its spatial configuration that has evolved over time. So, too, these stories ensconce history, in geographical space.
It is an attempt to visualize spatial history of Taxila. This paper examines the temporal sequences and spatial consequences that underlie the cultural or urban landscape of Taxila.
Takshashila or Taxila, Spatial Narratives, Spatial History, Historical Geography
