UNDP/MYA/86/019

Assignment Report

Serial No. RACAP/PROAP/92/4

For internal use only : not for general distribution

M Y A N M A R

Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Selected

Sites in M y a n m a r

Guidelines for a Masterplan for the Conservation and Presentation of the Historic District of Pagan

by John Sanday

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL,

SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL

ORGANIZATION

UNITED NATIONS

DEVELOPMENT

P R O G R A M M E

Bangkok 1992

UNDP/MYA/86/019 M Y A N M A R

Assignment Report Serial No. RACAP/PROAP/92/4

For internal use only: not for general distribution

Conservation of Cultural

Heritage at Selected

Sites in Myanmar

Guidelines for a Masterplan

for the Conservation and

Presentation of the

Historic District of Pagan

by John Sanday

United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural

Organization

United Nations

Development

Programme

Bangkok 1992

UNDP/MYA/86/019 Assignment Report (Sanday) RACAP/PROAP/92/4 Bangkok, 3 December 1992

Note: This report reflects the views of the author and not necessarily those of UNESCO.

Contents

Page

I. Introduction 1

II. The Purpose of the Report 1

III. Cultural and Historical Significance 1

IV. The Existing Situation 2

V. Department of Archaeology's Programme for the Pagan District 3

VI. Planning and Development Criteria - the Situation Today 7

VII. Development Activities Under the Jurisdiction of State Law & Order Restoration Council 8

Guidelines for the Conservation Management Plan 9

Development of a Conservation Infra-Structure 11

Role of Tourism in the Conservation 12

The People of Pagan - their Place in the Historic District 12

Fund Raising Activities 12

Host Country Commitment 13

The Impact of a Conservation Management Plan 14

Conclusion 15

Annex 1 17

Annex 2 18

Annex 3 19

Annex 4 21

VIII.

IX.

X.

XI.

XII.

XIII.

XIV.

XV.

XVI.

XVII.

XVIII

XIX.

INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY

I. INTRODUCTION

1. On the 8th July 1975 a major earthquake hit the monuments of Pagan causing serious damage to many of the 2,300 or more structures that have been recorded in a recent inventory. This earthquake had a weakening effect on structures that had stood for centuries. During the last 15 years the monsoon rains have caused further destruction.

2. UNESCO responded to the appeals for help from the then Burmese Government to help with the repair and consolidation of the damaged temples and pagodas by providing technical assistance, equipment and material. In 1980 UNDP formalised a programme for technical assistance and training which has produced excellent results in the field of seismic strengthening, materials conservation and a trained cadre of mural conservators.

3. Over the years the Department of Archaeology, with their very limited resources, have made great efforts to repair and maintain the monuments of Pagan. However with the accelerated deterioration caused by the earthquake the Government perceive the need to establish a strategy or masterplan for the development of a Conservation Management Plan which will define the threats to the District of Pagan and establish an annual policy of conservation, repair and maintenance.

A. During the preliminary mission for the preparation of masterplan it was decided that guidelines should be developed for the protection of the site against uncontrolled and unnecessary development; that the present legislation should be enhanced and adapted to provide the necessary protection of the site; and that a computerised inventory and management plan for the conservation, repair and maintenance of the site should be developed.

II. THE PURPOSE OF THE REPORT

5. Following a request from the Department of Archaeology Government of Myanmar UNESCO under the current UNDP funded cultural heritage project arranged for a consultant to visit Pagan and develop a masterplan for the conservation and presentation of Pagan. This report analyses the existing situation, presents a document, "Guidelines for a Masterplan for the Conservation and Presentation of the Historic District of Pagan", and establishes the basic principles.

III. CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE

6. No description does full justice to the historic district of Pagan. Photographs hardly capture the magnitude of the plains of Pagan. Facts and figures are incomprehensible until you take in with your own eyes, the quality, the texture and the extent of what is known as Pagan today.

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7. The profusion of monuments which appears to overwhelm the landscape, their juxtaposition to one another and their "raison d'etre" is still a mystery to all scholars.

8. Tradition has it that Pagan was founded in the early 2nd Century. However, the first record of any structure recalls the walled city of Pagan with its twelve gates surrounded by a moat which was reputedly established by King Pyinbya. Pyinbya is chronicled as the 34th king to reign over Pagan since its founding. Only two and a half centuries later however with King Anawrath's accession in 1044 does Pagan emerge into the clear light of history. The next 240 years can be seen as the period of Pagan's great distinction, which slowly dwindled at about the time of the Mongol invasion in 1283. Despite its name at the time Tattadesa-the Parched Land, Pagan thrived, drawing upon the resources of the rich rice granaries to the north and south. Equally, its location on the banks of the Irrawaddy linked it to the sea and the commerce of the Indian Ocean.

9. In 1057 Anawratha conquered Thaton on the Gulf of Martaban in the South of Burma and brought back to Pagan the "Tipitaka" or the collected Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism together with a large number of Buddhist monks, artists and craftsmen. It was from this date that there began in Pagan the extraordinary architectural and artistic activity which flourished for two centuries and covered the city of Pagan and its environs with thousands of religious structures of every shape and size. As in most major cities where religion was the main benefactor of architecture, all but a few structures in the Pagan District were the consequence of religious donations. Subsequent embellishments whether in the form of intricately painted murals adorning the inner walls of the temple or the presentation of an image or the gilding of a pinnacle were funded by pious offerings from both the rich and the poor as is still the case today.

THE EXISTING SITUATION

IV UNESCO/UNDP'S PREVIOUS INPUTS

10. UNDP and UNESCO have been providing assistance to the Department of Archaeology since after the 1975 earthquake. There have been two UNDP/UNESCO activities prior to the current UNDP Project. The existing project referred to as "The Conservation of Cultural Heritage at Selected Sites in Myanmar (No: MYA/86/019/A/01/13) has continued the UNDP's funding to assist in the development of Pagan as a cultural centre and a tourist destination in a variety of different ways.

11. Pagan's Cultural Heritage Programme: It is difficult to provide a true assessment of what has been achieved in Pagan over the last decade as many of the project activities proposed have not been implemented due to reasons beyond the project's control, whereas other activities have taken strength and have advanced further than anticipated. The financial assistance provided by UNDP for project activities and publications under the current project amounts to about US$ 897,746 with a contribution of close

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to 5,000,000 Kyats being made by the government of Myanmar. The activities range from the preparation of an exhaustive inventory of the monuments of Pagan, totalling 2,300 to date; the training and establishment of local teams for the conservation of mural paintings and external stuccowork; the study of seismic effect on the monuments of Pagan and the development of methodology for the repair and strengthening of monuments in Pagan; studies in the conservation of brick masonry and studies for stone conservation. Working in close harmony with the Department of Archaeology consultants from the Ecole Française d'Extrême Orient; Intentional Centre for the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM); from the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Engineering Seismology, Skopje; and other specialists have undertaken a considerable amount of research and have been able to implement technologies, in mural conservation, in replicating stone images, and experimentation with the consolidation of brickwork. Detailed information on these activities can be found in the reports listed in the bibliography attached to this report.

12. The UNDP/WTO Tourism Masterplan: Following extensive field research by a team of international consultants in 1985/86/87 a five volume report was produced in 1988. The fifth volume was dedicated to an Outline Strategic Tourism Masterplan for Pagan. In collaboration with the UNESCO international project co-ordinator, the masterplan studied all aspects of the development of tourism in Pagan and drew the conclusion that Pagan was the "number one" tourist destination in Burma. Among the many broad based and specific recommendations made in the report which will impact on the proposed masterplan, are proposals for the development of tourist zones and urban settlement policies, zoning recommendations. Several of the basic recommendations have been studied by the Government and they in turn have summarised the tourism masterplan in a document prepared by the Ministry of Trade entitled a Tourism Masterplan for Pagan that was presented in August 1988 at the Sophia University Seminar on Pagan. The Government have responded to the recommendations relating to the Tourist Development Zones with the expansion of the present visitor accommodation.

V. DEPARTMENT OF ARCHAEOLOGY'S PROGRAMME FOR THE PAGAN DISTRICT

13. As a division of the Department of Archaeology the Pagan office maintains a continuing programme of repair and conservation of monuments; archaeological excavations; site maintenance; and the running of the site museum and conservation laboratory.

14. Pagan District Budget: During the mission several discussions centred around the Department of Archaeology's Budget for Pagan and it was learnt that the Ministry of Planning and Finance had asked for a projected budget for the next three years. The budgets for each year did not truly reflect the anticipated Masterplan or the Conservation Management Plan. The scope of the budget ranged from 4.6 million Kyats for the 1992/3

A

budget to 3.9 million in the projected 1994/5 budget. Also there were many budget lines which were for activities that seemed inappropriate in the light of the proposed Conservation Management Plan. During discussions with the Director General of the Department of Archaeology at the end of the mission these matters were brought to his notice and the future budget requests will be reviewed by the Department in the light of the recommendations in the Conservation Management Plan. (See breakdown of Annual Budgets on following pages.)

15. Department's Mural Paintings Conservation Programme: In conjunction with the UNESCO/UNDP Cultural Heritage Project, the Department of Archaeology has established an ongoing programme for the conservation of wall paintings and repair of external stuccowork. This programme has with the support of ICCROM consultants, grown over the years and there are now two competent teams numbering 23 people. Work was completed at the Kubyauk-Gyi Temple during the December 1991 Mission and a new project started in the Abeyadana Temple. Some of the trained team were also readily assisting the research into the conservation and consolidation of the stone faced Nanpaya Temple.

16. Present Policy of Programming: There has been minimal manpower and time to fully understand and prepare a programme of works for Pagan. The UNDP/UNESCO projects have brought a certain scheduling to the preparation of the budgets and the workplans but this has been incidental. The staffing and annual budget allocated to the Department until a few years ago was minimal (500,000 Kyats). Realising the hopeless task of maintaining the culture of the country on such a pitiful sum, the government decided to move the Department to the Ministry of Planning and Finance to place it nearer the funding source with the result that the Department's Budget was raised to 30,000,000 Kyats per year. Since then the Department has expanded and has established a more audacious programme. However, there is still a dearth of trained personnel and the capacity for the development of short and long term programmes for sites such as Pagan.

17. Department of Archaeology's Project Selection Criteria: Most of the activities undertaken each year by the Department in Pagan, result from emergency works to prevent partial or complete collapse of the frail brick structures weakened by the earthquake of 1975. During our site visits with the Department staff, it was evident that during these outings to some of the more remote sites, staff were taking note of structures on the point of collapse and incorporating their stabilisation in the next year's budget. There was neither the staff nor the time for the Department to establish a survey programme over a period of years to plan a programme of repair and maintenance.

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DEPARTMENT BUDGET 1992/3

TEMPLE ACTIVITY BUDGET

PAGAN DISTRICT 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

Temple 2013 Magigan Pa Temple 1029 Minuhazawyaza Minglazedi Dhamarazaka Museum General Landscape

Strengthening with ties 70,000 Repairs to Vault 30,000 Carry over Work 100,000 Timber Repairs - Carry over Work 100,000 General Repairs (Cornice) 50,000 General Maintenance 50,000 Replace ceilings - Shed 1 15,000 Emergency Maintenance 30,000 Clearance of Bushes etc 50,000

Sub Total 495,000

OTHER MONUMENTS

1. Maoolay Site General Maintenance of Paintings 70,000 2. Sale Monuments General Maintenance 70,000 3. Pyu Site Maintenance of Excavated Sites 80,000 4. Minia Fort Repairs to Embankment 200,000

Sub Total 420,000

PUBLIC WORKS

PAGAN MONUMENTS 1. Lymethna (Mon) 2. Pyatthada Gyi 3. Silesyian (Mon) 4. Sutaung Pyi (907/8) 5. Maha Gyi (1457) 6. Mogyo Pyit (1676) 7. Wudkyin (1677) 8. General

Continuation of Works 400,000 Structural Repairs to Base 200,000 Continuation of Works 300,000 General Repairs 350,000 General Repairs 100,000 Structural Repairs 50,000 Structural Repairs 50,000 Repairs of Access Roads 50,000

Sub Total 1,500,000

OTHER DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES

PAGAN MONUMENTS 1. Excavations 2. Landscaping 3. Palace Old Pagan

Carry over Work/Repairs 500,000 Grass cutting Garden Staff 400,000 Excavations Carry over Work 300,000

Sub Total 1,200,000

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OTHER MONUMENTS

1. Pakhagi C14th City Carry over Works 300,000 2. Pakangi Timber Repairs 500,000 3. Museum Activities Replication Stone Sculptures 200,000

Sub Total 1,000,000

GRAND TOTAL A,615,000

BUDGET SUMMARIES

Summary for 1992/3

The Budget is divided between: 1. Pagan Monuments 2. Other Monuments Pagan District

TOTAL

3,195,000 1,420,000

4,515,000

For the following two years a similar breakdown was prepared and can be summarised as follows:

Summary for 1993/4

Department of Archaeology 1. Pagan Monuments 2. Other Monuments

Public Works 1. 2.

Pagan Monuments Other Monuments

Other Department Activities 1. Pagan Monuments 2. Other Monuments

Sub Total

Sub Total

Sub Total

TOTAL

550,000 150,000

700,000

1,700,000 ***

1,700,000

1,800,000 300,000

2,100,000

4,500,000

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Summary for 1994/5

Department of Archaeology 1. Pagan Monuments 170,000 2. Other Monuments 380,000

Sub Total 550,000

Public Works 1. Pagan Monuments 1,700,000 2. Other Monuments ***

Sub Total 1,700,000

Other Department Activities 1. Pagan Monuments 1,300,000 2. Other Monuments 400,000

Sub Total 1,700,000

TOTAL 3,950,000

18. Department of Archaeology's Implementation Programme: The budget allocated to the Pagan District in 1992/3 by the Department of Archaeology, is nearly US$ 1 million, which is a reasonable allocation and with this amount an impact can be made on the conservation of the monuments, if the work is carefully planned. The Department is, through lack of staff, forced to contract all of the major building conservation work out to the Division of Public Works retaining little if any control over the standards of workmanship. The Department carries out mostly small scale works on the monuments and runs the excavation sites as well as controls the mural conservation teams.

VI. PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CRITERIA - THE SITUATION TODAY

19. The most recent document relating to the Historic District of Pagan to be produced has been prepared by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) entitled: "A Plan for the Development and Creation of a Pleasant Atmosphere in Pagan." The recommendations contained in this report related to the evacuation of Old Pagan, the Zoning of Settlements and the Conservation of Monuments. However, in the District of Pagan there is no apparent broader concept for planning for conservation and development. There appears to be no competent co-ordinating body in charge of these planning and development activities within the proposed historic district and there is no clear delineation of the proposed district. It seems that the Township Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) have the power to control activities in the general interests of the Township and there is an interdepartmental committee which meets to discuss general issues relating to the proposed Historic District of Pagan. However, the committee is not governed by a comprehensive plan.

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20. Evacuation of the Walled City of Pagan: Following the recommendations proposed in the SLORC report described above, all the former inhabitants of Pagan amounting to over 5,200 people living within the walled city were ordered between April and June 1990, to move to New Pagan some 5Km to the South of the Old City of Pagan. These people who had lived for generations within the walled city provided an active community life, with its local traditions and village environment and were a great attraction to the international visitors. The reasons for this mass eviction were the archaeological significance of the site, the illicit excavation of the historic sites for gold and artifacts, and the lack of respect shown by the inhabitants. The habitation of the old city is a fairly recent phenomena and in most cases the occupants had no legal right to the sites they occupied.

21. Relocation of Inhabitants of Old Pagan: The majority of the former inhabitants of Old Pagan have relocated to land provided by the Government in an area known as New Pagan, which was formerly sparse agricultural land with no trees and no direct access to a water supply. New Pagan is nevertheless still located within the proposed Historic District of Pagan, but lacks immediate access to the historic centre. Perceiving this, some of the former shops and restaurants have relocated on the outskirts of Yaung-0 to provide facilities to Pagan's visitors.

VII. DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF STATE LAW & ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL

22. It is apparent that considerable development is taking place throughout the Historic District of Pagan, much of which is changing the environment of the monuments. The following activities were noted:

23. Road Construction: A fairly extensive programme of road construction was evident throughout the proposed Pagan Historic District. The proposals to some extent followed recommendations made by the UNESCO Team and supported in the Tourism Masterplan. However the width of road and the type of surfaces laid were not in all cases the same. There was also a tendency to widen existing roads causing the need for realignment and in some cases the destruction of dwellings or the uprooting of trees. Recommendations were made to place a moratorium on the construction of new roads and the widening of existing roads. At this stage in the development of Pagan as a tourist destination it is not considered essential for the present road infra-structure to be changed.

24. Planting of Trees: The present environment of the monuments of Pagan is unique and has remained unchanged until recently with the plantation of exotic trees and shrubs. Shade trees are indigenous to the small settlements and act as a good camouflage to the villages. However the regimented planting of trees along roads and the irrigation essential to their growth is foreign to the region and, in future, is likely to obscure the wonderful panoramic vistas of the monuments. Recommendations have been made to place a moratorium on the indiscriminate planting of

9

trees until a comprehensive plan has been studied and developed.

25. Placement of Fences: Recently, partly due to the need to define boundaries, there has been a trend to build wooden fences around sites and plots. This tends to spoil the flow of the landscape and it is recommended that other ways of delineation are introduced after the comprehensive plan has been prepared.

VIII. GUIDELINES FOR THE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

26. Every country in the world has its own heritage which is its bond with the past. Every country has therefore a responsibility to its countrymen and to mankind to protect and conserve this heritage as part of the world's history. Approaches and policies to the repair and protection of monuments and sites differ from one country or region to another. In the past buildings of great architectural significance have been singled out and restored with no consideration for their neighbouring structures or surroundings. Expensive masterplans have been prepared for cities - a dreamland as there is seldom any programming. However, today where there is a conscious and universal awareness of the destruction happening to our heritage and where funds are limited, a more practical, project oriented approach must be developed to plan long term and short term programmes to stem the deterioration, to conserve rather than undertake costly reconstruction, to seek ways of making a site self sufficient and above all to provide the caretakers in administration, in the field and the inhabitants with a conservation vision and eventually a plan to implement.

27. What is a Conservation Management Plan: Governments tend to call for masterplans without clear understanding of what they will receive. It is often a catch phrase for procrastination as the masterplans become so daunting they are impossible to implement. Whereas the concept of a Conservation Management Plan is that of a dynamic document that produces finite programmes as opposed to the "Wish Lists" of a Masterplan. A conservation Management Plan inventories what the defined area contains, where the problems lie and what needs to be done to put them in order. This process of analysis lends itself very easily to the development of a computerised database which will assist in the planning and programme process and a Computerised Inventory Programme can be prepared as an extension to a Conservation Management Plan.

28. Identifying the Need: Before a Conservation Management Plan can be contemplated, the fundamental principles and procedures adopted by the administration controlling the historic site must be clearly set out. If, as is often the case, there are no defined principles and procedures, they need to be established, or adapted from the existing legislation and codes during the development of the Conservation Management Plan. A Conservation Management Plan should also define the Conservation Policy or principles adopted nationally or regionally for the management of a historic district and it should set out the Conservation Procedures for the repair and maintenance of the structures in

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a historic site or district.

29. Principles and Procedures: The Plan should then interpret these principles and procedures and build up a framework for the conservation, management and protection of their historic district or site. With such a plan in place, decisions and interventions can be structured by priority and can be undertaken in a logical and scheduled sequence according to funding strategies. The Philosophy of architectural conservation varies widely from continent to continent and in many of the developing countries where the larger part of the built heritage is to be found, no clearly defined principles exist. The first step therefore in the development of any management plan is to create or adapt appropriate guidelines or principles applicable to the country or region. Intervention Principles such as those established by ICOMOS can serve as a useful basis for adaptation.

30. Conservation Interventions: With the conservation principles established to serve as a basis for operation the basic procedures and strategies already in use should be defined. For example legislation relating to protection of historic sites, including planning control should be addressed. The different types of intervention used for repairing historic structures should be defined and interpreted. After carefully analyzing existing procedures, recommendations for additional procedures should be made. Taking into account the needs of the Department of Archaeology and the extensive work that has been undertaken by the Pagan Field Office, it is proposed that the framework for the Conservation Management Plan for the Historic District of Pagan is researched and prepared using the following guidelines. These proposals have been formulated into a UNESCO Project Document which is attached to this report as Annex 3.

31. Designation of District Zones and Monuments: Following the lack of a clearly defined boundary to the Historic District of Pagan it is recommended that the boundary is delineated for the Historic District. It is also proposed that the Monument Zones and the individual Monuments are defined within the Historic District. Due to the pressing need for a carefully planned and integrated development plan for the Historic District of Pagan, it is recommended that specific Development Zones are defined within the Historic District.

32. Legislation for Conservation: To enable the proper designation of zones and to define and protect the Historic District, it is recommended that guidelines are provided on the amendment of existing legislation and the development of new legislation for the establishment of Historic Districts, Monument Zones and Development Zones for the Government with special reference to the Historic District of Pagan.

33. An Inventory of the Monuments and Sites: Following the extensive field research undertaken for the preparation of an Inventory of the Monuments of Pagan, it is proposed that a Computer Inventory Programme is produced as a component of the Conservation Management Plan to set up short and long term repair

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and maintenance programmes and budgets for the repair, conservation and maintenance of the Monuments Zones and individual monuments.

IX. DEVELOPMENT OF A CONSERVATION INFRA-STRUCTURE

34. Following the successful training of the mural paintings conservation teams and the evident need for a large number of workers trained in diverse conservation activities, it is proposed that as part of the Conservation Management Plan, investments are made to enhance and upgrade the existing conservation teams for mural paintings, and architectural conservation and that full time maintenance crews are established. To help set up this infrastructure it is necessary to consider following certain procedures: 35. New Brick Kiln: The bricks of Pagan are of the highest quality as is the workmanship in creating the magnificent structures. However, the quality of materials used in the conservation and repair process is very inferior. It is essential under any programme for the repair and conservation of the monuments of Pagan to assist in the establishment of a superior brick kiln to produce high quality special bricks for structural consolidation and repair.

36. Conservation Technology: The techniques at present employed to consolidate and repair the structures is questionable as large quantities of material such as lime and surkhe are being introduced into the structures that was never apparently used in their original construction. It is proposed that the conservation technology is carefully reassessed and consideration given to using the original mud mortar with a suitable and practical consolidation additive.

37. A Building Conservation Manual: Following completion of investigations under the present UNESCO/UNDP Cultural Heritage Project into conservation technology relating to the seismic strengthening of the brick structures; the conservation and consolidation of brickwork (See above), stonework and the repair of external stuccowork; and the conservation of mural paintings, it is recommended that a series of Conservation Manuals are published with specific reference to the structural repair and consolidation and the seismic strengthening of monuments; the material conservation methods for brick, stone and stucco; and the conservation of mural paintings for wide distribution to all technicians.

38. Archaeological Excavation Programmes: Following the evacuation of the Walled City of Pagan, and in response to the existing long term programme for the excavation of the old city's moat, it is recommended that, within the scope of the Conservation Management Plan, short and long term excavation programmes are prepared for both the walled city and the surrounding moat. Until a clear picture of the extent of archaeological remains is obtained, further development within the walled city will be restricted.

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39. A Plan for the Protection of the Landscape and Environment: Following the suggestion for a moratorium on planting exotic trees and shrubs it is recommended that guidelines are prepared for the agricultural development and landscaping of the Historic District of Pagan. As part of the general landscaping programme it is also recommended that suitable circulation layouts are designed within the Pagan Historic District for both tarred and gravelled roads as well as footpaths.

X. ROLE OF TOURISM IN THE CONSERVATION

40. There has been a large amount of research undertaken for the development of tourism in Pagan. In the light of the conservation Management Plan it is recommended that the existing Tourism Masterplans are considered carefully and that within the scope of the Conservation Management Plan for the Historic District of Pagan guidelines for tourism development and tourist activities are developed within the context of the plan. Recently under the UNESCO Project a cultural tourism specialist visited Pagan to advise on the type of cultural tourism that would benefit Pagan. It was proposed that a high quality dedicated tourism for visitors seeking a unique cultural experience should be the type of tourism to be promoted in pagan. This type of tourism could support the conservation of Pagan.

XI. THE PEOPLE OF PAGAN - THEIR PLACE IN THE HISTORIC DISTRICT

41. The local inhabitants of a historic site play an important role in the protection and monitoring of the sites they live near. They may need educating as to their responsibilities but their ejection from a historic site will remove the vitality so necessary to an otherwise static object. Many failed examples of the removal of the inhabitants from a historic district can be quoted and the new train of thought is to create a suitable environment where inhabitants and monuments can live in harmony. Such could be the case in Pagan and it is therefore recommended that as part of the Conservation Management Plan's agenda should be to prepare a case study of Myinkabha Village - one of the most threatened of the 21 villages due to its need to develop and expand.

XII. FUND RAISING ACTIVITIES

42. The need for external funding to safeguard the monuments of Pagan is acute. However, under the present situation the chances of finding external funding for the repair and conservation of monuments are remote. Nonetheless it is recommended that guidelines are presented for individual project development and fund raising activities both in the long and the short term.

43. Funding Through Tourist Levies: The Government have taken an unprecedented step towards raising external funds by levying $US 10 from each foreign tourist that visits Pagan thus creating a revolving conservation fund. As a symbol of collaborative funding it is recommended that consideration be given to establishing a series of small projects using these funds matched

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with a government contribution, and advertising the source of funding on a large signboard at the work site.

44. Support for Ongoing Projects: After studying the budget allocation for the Department of Archaeology, it appears that there are no funds specifically allocated to the mural paintings conservation programme. It is essential for the development of the conservation training policy that financial support is provided for these conservation teams to continue their work on the 347 listed temples that have wall paintings. Equally any other teams that are developed should have annual support assured.

45. UNESCO World Heritage Convention: It is recommended that the Government of Myanmar becomes party to the World Heritage Convention as soon as possible. Membership of the convention will permit the nomination of Pagan to the World Heritage List. Once the Pagan has been inscribed on the List there is the possibility of further assistance through the special World Heritage Emergency Fund. There are funds available for assistance in the application process also.

XIII. HOST COUNTRY COMMITMENT

46. Following lengthy discussions with the Director General of Archaeology and his staff, the Department has agreed, not only to provide the Masterplan Mission with all the necessary in-country logistical support including transportation, office space and reference documents to facilitate the research of the consultants but also, where possible, to undertake research in preparation for the arrival of the Masterplan Mission. The Department has offered to undertake the following tasks prior to the arrival of the Masterplan Mission:

47. Counterpart Staff: The Department will identify and provide all the necessary counterpart staff for each of the consultants. The national staff will comprise of either officers already working in the Pagan district or of staff seconded by the designated Department in Yangon.

48. Moratorium on Development in Pagan: The Department will follow up the UNESCO/UNDP mission's request during a meeting with the Chairman of the Township Law and Order Council to put a moratorium on all further activities relating to the:

Construction of New Roads Planting of Trees and Shrubs Construction Within the Pagan Historic District

49. Development Questionnaire: With assistance from the Department of Architecture Yangon Institute of Technology, the Department of Archaeology has distributed a brief questionnaire to obtain basic development data from the villages within the Historic District of Pagan. The data from the questionnaire was complete and handed over by the end of the mission. (See Annex 3 for Questionnaire format.)

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50. Preparation for Archaeological Programme: The Department will clear the Walled City of Pagan as far as possible of shrubs and grass to assist with archaeological investigation and commence the preparation of an Archaeological Map of the Walled City of Pagan.

51. Research on Legislation: The Department will locate and provide copies (in English if available) of all legislation pertaining to Historic Districts; Monument Zones and individual Monuments.

52. The SLORC Masterplan for Pagan: The Department will arrange for the translation into English of the 1989 SLORC Masterplan for Pagan.

XIV. THE IMPACT OF A CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT PLAN

53. The impact of a Conservation Management Plan on the Historic District of Pagan will be extensive. It will put into practice all the various governing factors that establish the management of a conservation district. In the broader context it will set up the legislation for the establishment of Historic Districts; it will provide the authorities with a comprehensive development plan and, following the Director General's request for a manageable programme, it will provide an annual budget and workplan of a practical nature that can be designed according to the budget available or following the urgent needs of the monuments themselves.

54. On the Monuments: The influence the conservation management plan will have on the monuments themselves will be a systematic survey, repair and maintenance programme that will be developed and implemented following the budget allocations each year.

55. On the Environment: The Conservation Management Plan will help provide a complementary landscape for the monuments, will encourage the maintenance of the indigenous plants and trees and will enhance the agricultural practices in the area.

56. On the Visitors: The long term benefits for the visitors to Pagan will be that it will remain more or less as it is today in an almost pristine landscape. However, with the promotion of tourism in Myanmar, it is hoped that the infrastructure will be improved to meet and surpass the experience that every visitor will anticipate during his stay in Pagan.

57. On the People of Pagan: The people of Pagan are considered essential to the establishment of Pagan as an international tourist destination. The conservation management plan will assess very carefully the needs of the local people and the best way for them to enhance their standard of living without intruding on the unique ambience and historic qualities of the proposed Historic District of Pagan.

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XV. CONCLUSION

58. Pagan is a unique site and easily ranks amongst the World's most significant architectural masterpieces. The Government of Myanmar have shouldered the responsibility of protecting and preserving this priceless heritage site and they will need all the support and means to fulfil this responsibility.

59. One great advantage that this site has is that its environment is relatively intact. The steady march of development across the plains of Pagan is not yet evident. Although conservation should not stand in the way of development there is in Pagan an exemplary opportunity to harmonise development and conservation. The exercise of planning the Conservation Management Plan will provide opportunities for all disciplines to move towards such a goal.

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ANNEX 1

MEETINGS

The consultant had the opportunity of discussing the preparation of the Conservation Management Plan for the Historic District of Pagan with the following people in Myanmar.

The Department of Archaeology - Yangon U Than Maung - Director General U Nyunt Han - Assistant Director General U Aye Maung - Chemist for Mural Paintings

Pagan U Aung Kyiang - Assistant Research Officer (U Aung Kyiang accompanied the consultant on many of the site visits around Pagan. He has an incredible knowledge on the history and architecture of the District and provided the consultant with great insight into the monuments of Pagan.)

The Township Law and Order Restoration Council Major Aung Soe - Chairman

Members who attended the meeting from: Police Force Office Immigration Office Land Records Office Township Office Agricultural Department Electricity Department Township Development Office Myanmar Tourist Office General Administration

Myanmar Hotels and Tourism Services - Yangon Lieut Colonel Thaw - Da Sein (Retd) Managing Director U Minn 00 - Manager Travels and Tours U Khin Kyaw - Hotel and Tourism Training Center

Yangon Institute of Technology Dr. Lwin Aung Professor - Department of Archaeology (Dr. Lwin Aung was appointed as the counterpart to the consultant during the mission and was a great source of inspiration and knowledge.)

United Nations Development Programme - Yangon Ms. Flavia Pansieri - Assistant Resident Representative U Hla Myint Phu - Programme Officer

The British Embassy - Yangon H. E. Julian Hartland-Swann - British Ambassador Mr. Ralph Isaacs - Cultural Attache

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ANNEX 2

PROGRAMME OF VISITS

The Consultant arrived in Myanmar on 14th December 1991.

14th -17th December - Yangon Visits to the Shwedagon Temple

17th December - 2nd January - Pagan During the consultants period in Pagan he was able to visit

over 50 of the major temple complexes and countless of the minor structures in Pagan. He also toured the District of Pagan extensively by foot by bicycle and for the more distant site by Jeep. The visits were often in the company of the Assistant Research Officer or with Dr. Pierre Pichard the International Co-ordinator for the UNESCO Programme. The purpose of these visits was to obtain an overview of the diverse structures to enable the preparation of the Guidelines for the Conservation Masterplan. The visits were not intended as in depth studies into conservation technology although some observations have been drawn from the experiences gained.

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ANNEX 3

THE DEVELOPMENT QUESTIONNAIRE

In discussion with the Professor of Architecture the Consultants Counterpart for the Mission, a simple questionnaire was developed for circulation among the authorities of the Township of Pagan. The purpose of this questionnaire is to obtain basic information that will assist the Masterplan Mission to draw up guidelines for Development Zones within the Historic District.

The questionnaire requests information from all the villages and settlements within the Historic District and is only intended to provide information on the present trends within the villages and settlements.

QUESTIONNAIRE Name of Village/Settlement: Date;

Prepared by (Name and Designation of Officer) :

No: Question: 1980 1985 1990

IN YOUR VILLAGE

1. What is the Population? 2. How Many Households are there? 3. What is the Area (in Acres) of

the Village? 4. What is the Area (in Acres) of

Arable Land? 5. How Many Primary and High Schools? 6. How Many Dispensaries/Healthy Centres?.. 7. How Many Tourist Shops/Restaurants? 8. Do you have an Electrical Supply? 9. What is your Water Supply (Surface,

Artesian)? 10. How Many Private Guest Houses are there? 11. How Many Horse Carts/Side Carts

do you have? 12. How Many Lacquer Workshops are there?... 13. How Many Stupas/Temples are maintained

by a Pagoda Trust? 14. How Many Stupas/Temples are maintained

by a Monastery? 15. How Many Stupas/Temples are maintained

by the Dept of Archaeology? 16. How Many Stupas/Temples have undergone

maintenance? 17. How Many Stupas/Temples have been

Repaired?

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LIST OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES

The information requested in the Questionnaire will be compiled in consultation with the Township Law and Order Restoration Council and will be made available to the Masterplan Mission.

List to :

1. 2. 3. h. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

of Towns and Villages

Nyaung Oo New Pagan Town Myinkaba Thiripyitsaya Thunhekhan West Pwazaw East Pwazaw Kondangyi Kun Sin Kye

the Questionnaire will be dii

10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19.

Hpyauk Seik Pin Minnanthu West Myeni Tetthe Wetkyi In Taungbi Leya Twin Ywa Moenat Kon Nagyo Ai

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ANNEX 4

SELECTIVE BIBLIOGRAPHY

Myanmar Tourism Law - The State Law and Order Restoration Council, The Union of Myanmar 20th June 1990.

Burma Tourism Study, Vol 5. Outline Strategic Tourism Masterplan for Pagan. UNDP, WTO February 1988.

Tourism Masterplan for Pagan. Hotel Tourism Corporation. August 1988.

Conservation of Murals Paintings and External Stuccoes Bagan, Union of Myanmar, ICCR0M. June 1991.

Cultural Heritage in Asia (4) Study on Pagan. Institute of Asian Cultures, Sophia University, Tokyo.1989.

Conservation of Monuments in Pagan, Myanmar, Pierre Pichard, UNESCO Bangkok 1991.

Pictorial Guide to Pagan, Ministry of Culture Dept of Archaeology, Union of Burma. Rangoon 1951.

Glimpses of Glorious Pagan, Dept of History, University of Rangoon, Burma 1986.

Pagan Art and Architecture of Old Burma, Paul Strachan, Edinburgh, 1989.

Old Burma - Early Pagan Vols I-III H.G. Luce New York 1969.

Pagan Newsletters 1986; 1987; 1988; 1989 UNDP/UNESCO - EFEO Pondicherry.