ABSTRACT
Historical memory can be conceived of as an intentional attempt to store and reproduce knowledge of the past. In this conceptualization, monuments and rituals become two of the potent media for the storage and recycling of historical memory. Monuments enshrine many kinds of memories: memory of the vision of the builder, for example, the pillar edicts of the Mauryan king Ashoka (r. 272-32 ); memory acquired over time, either in the replication of the pillar form or through addition of later inscriptions; and finally, the created memory through transformation of the monument, either by partially destroying or by altering its context or form. Monuments also become sites for enactment of rituals, such as pilgrimages, for the reinforcement of memory and knowledge of the past.
