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Arts & Communication Cultural exchange and decorative motifs in 12 -century
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deeply embedded in the cultural, ideological, and material in common cultural traditions, artistic conventions, or
contexts of their creation. Decorative motifs reflect the technological approaches that shape the production of art
values, beliefs, and practices of the societies that produced and design. This level of homogeneity can be a reflection
them, serving as visual representations of power, ideological of collective aesthetic tendencies and imply cultural
propaganda, or economic realities. Political and economic cohesiveness or continuity within a particular community
factors are crucial in this analysis, as they often underpin or chronological context. 2
the transmission of artistic traditions, influencing how Studies of the decorative motifs at Sarnath, Angkor
power and influence are visually articulated. For example, Wat, and Polonnaruwa have primarily focused on
the flowery motifs of Mughal textiles not only reveal the their unique cultural, political, and economic contexts.
artistic genius of the period but also reflect the Empire’s While direct comparisons among these sites are limited,
wealth during the time, extensive trade networks around existing research reveals key similarities and differences,
the globe, and the accessibility of sumptuous materials. highlighting the political interactions across South and
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Understanding the purpose and function of art – whether Southeast Asia that shaped their artistic traditions.
religious, decorative, or utilitarian – is critical, as the
intended role of art significantly influences the selection Sri Lanka’s strategic location between the Bay of Bengal
and style of motifs. A nuanced framework that examines and critical sea trade routes connecting the East and West
the multifaceted roles of decorative patterns situates underscores its role in shaping the country’s cultural and
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these elements within their broader social, political, and political dynamics. From the 9 to the 15 centuries, Sri
economic contexts. Lanka’s cities experienced significant prosperity, with the
12 century marking their zenith and establishing their
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The concept of homogeneity in decorative motifs enduring regional importance. This period provides
pertains to the degree of similarity and consistency a historical framework for understanding regional
observed in patterns, motifs, styles, or design elements interactions and exploring cultural homogeneity and shared
across artworks or artifacts within specific cultural, practices in decorative motifs. The 5 to 12 centuries were
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geographical, or temporal boundaries. Such uniformity a formative era, marked by the Pala Empire’s growth and the
often reflects shared beliefs, values, and practices rooted Gupta Empire’s peak. The Polonnaruwa Kingdom of Sri
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Figure 1. Global context: Locations of specific sites relevant to the study. Map obtained from: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/mild-
tremors-felt-in-parts-of-chennai/article26245189.ece.

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 2 doi: 10.36922/ac.4205