Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Colonial Subjects, Colonial Space: The production of Portuguese colonial society in Velha Goa from 1510 to 1700.

University Of Chicago, Chicago IL

Investigators

Abstract

Under the guidance of Dr. Kathleen Morrison, Brian Wilson will explore the social and material production of space in Velha Goa during the Portuguese colonial period. Before the Portuguese conquered the city in 1510, Velha Goa was already an important port of trade in South Asia, and it quickly became the administrative and religious capital of the Portuguese Asian Empire. The city sharply declined in the latter half of the 17th century and the capital was eventually moved to Panaji in the 1840's. However, the site remains largely intact and unoccupied today yet almost completely undocumented outside of the well preserved administrative and religious core of the city. It thus provides an ideal location to investigate the production of colonial space in both elite and non-elite contexts. An underlying goal of the project is to describe how 'space' is conceived and utilized in a complex society and the Velha Goa site, both because of its state of preservation and the accompanying historical documentation provides an excellent context for this. The conclusions which emerge will provide a framework which can be employed in social reconstructions of numerous sites, many prehistoric, where less control is possible. As the first European power in Asia, the Portuguese opened the door to European socio-economic expansion into the region effectively inaugurating the modern colonial era. Therefore, knowledge of this initial colonial venture is critical to increasing understanding of the broader processes that have shaped the last 500 years of world history. As local practice and global networks continue to become more and more enmeshed today, a greater understanding of the historical development of modern socio-economic and political practices is highly relevant to our contemporary world. To understand these processes in Goa and in other localities, however, scholars must not only grasp global socio-economic and political trends but also understand the specific and historically contingent, local manifestation of these forces. By using archaeological resources, this project adds a much needed material dimension to our knowledge of colonialism, urbanization, and the way these processes are mediated by local social groups. Mr. Wilson's research will begin the process of documenting this important colonial site through archaeological survey, systematic surface collection, artifact analysis, and historical research. In addition, this research will test the effectiveness of a new low level aerial photography (LLAP) platform using both color and near infrared photography for surveying dense urban environments. The use of affordable LLAP systems has great potential to significantly increase the speed and reduce the costs of traditional archaeological survey, and this project will help to demonstrate the overall usefulness with which this method can be implemented into research designs. In addition, modern industrial, commercial, and agricultural developments are beginning to negatively impact the archaeological site, making the documentation of the site an increasingly urgent matter. The project will also make significant contributions to archaeological education, training, and knowledge dissemination. It will be carried out in close affiliation with the Archaeological Survey of India, and student volunteers from various universities will participate in the research. Furthermore, the project has a close association with the Goa Heritage Action Group, and it will help their mission to educate the public and to preserve the cultural heritage of Velha Goa. The results of the research will also be disseminated through publication in scholarly journals, participation in conferences, and Wilson's dissertation will be available to the public through UMI.