{"schema":"https://ver.cy/schemas/card/1.0.0","id":"vr.tr.meru-tower","code":"thing-q2194811","url":"https://ver.cy/models/thing/q2194811/","name":"Meru tower","alternateNames":[],"kind":"thing","status":"published","version":"0.2.0-wave.4","language":"en","classifiers":{"family":"Thing Registry","category":"Physical world and living systems","entryKind":"thing","plane":"PHY","domain":["PHY.BLT"],"industry":[],"navPath":"","tags":[],"facets":{}},"whatItIs":"A Balinese Hindu shrine tower with one thatched roof or a tall stack of diminishing thatched roofs, with an odd number of roof tiers from 1 to 11, symbolising Mount Meru, the cosmic mountain of Hindu and Buddhist cosmology, found in the courtyards of Balinese Hindu temples called pura, dedicated to deities or deified ancestors, with its roofs traditionally thatched with black sugar palm fibre called ijuk; the eleven-roofed meru of Pura Besakih and Pura Taman Ayun are well-known examples, and similar tiered shrines are known in Javanese tradition.","purpose":"Let an agent explain Meru towers, relay symbolism, construction, placement in temples and examples from Balinese culture and architecture sources respectfully, and distinguish meru from pagodas in East Asia, Hindu shikhara towers in India, candi temple buildings in Java and the mythological Mount Meru.","scope":{"in":[],"out":[],"boundaries":[]},"distinguishingFeatures":["Odd-numbered roofs","Cosmic mountain symbolism","Thatched tiers","Temple courtyard placement"],"structure":{"bundles":[{"id":"understand","name":"Understand","description":"What a Meru tower is.","layers":[{"id":"definition","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","findings":[{"id":"definition-finding","name":"Definition","description":"Definition.","questions":[{"text":"What is a Meru tower, and how does it differ from pagodas, shikhara, candi and Mount Meru itself?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Is the question about religion, architecture or visiting a temple respectfully?","kind":"boundary"}]}]},{"id":"tiers","name":"Tiers","description":"Roof numbers.","findings":[{"id":"tiers-finding","name":"Tiers","description":"Tiers.","questions":[{"text":"Why do meru have odd numbers of roofs, and what do the numbers signify?","kind":"definition"},{"text":"Which entry fits the specific temple?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"religion","name":"Religion","description":"Symbolism.","layers":[{"id":"meru","name":"Mount Meru","description":"Cosmic mountain.","findings":[{"id":"meru-finding","name":"Mount Meru","description":"Mount Meru.","questions":[{"text":"How does Mount Meru appear in Hindu and Buddhist cosmology?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which references are standard?","kind":"provenance"}]}]},{"id":"ancestors","name":"Deities and ancestors","description":"Dedication.","findings":[{"id":"ancestors-finding","name":"Deities and ancestors","description":"Deities and ancestors.","questions":[{"text":"To whom are meru dedicated in Balinese Hinduism?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which sources are cited?","kind":"provenance"}]}]}]},{"id":"architecture","name":"Architecture","description":"Construction.","layers":[{"id":"building","name":"Building","description":"Construction.","findings":[{"id":"building-finding","name":"Building","description":"Building.","questions":[{"text":"How are meru built and their ijuk roofs maintained?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits Balinese architecture?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"pura","name":"Pura","description":"Temple layout.","findings":[{"id":"pura-finding","name":"Pura","description":"Pura.","questions":[{"text":"Where do meru stand within Balinese temple courtyards?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits pura?","kind":"action"}]}]}]},{"id":"context","name":"Context","description":"Heritage.","layers":[{"id":"besakih","name":"Besakih","description":"Pura Besakih.","findings":[{"id":"besakih-finding","name":"Besakih","description":"Besakih.","questions":[{"text":"Why is Pura Besakih the mother temple of Bali?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Which entry fits Pura Besakih?","kind":"action"}]}]},{"id":"visiting","name":"Visiting","description":"Visitor etiquette.","findings":[{"id":"visiting-finding","name":"Visiting","description":"Visiting.","questions":[{"text":"What etiquette applies when visiting Balinese temples?","kind":"provenance"},{"text":"Is the guidance respectful and current?","kind":"boundary"}]}]}]}]},"agentConduct":{"may":["Describe meru towers, their tiered roofs and their meaning in Balinese Hinduism.","Pass on temple rules for visitors, such as dress and areas closed to non-worshippers."],"mustNot":["Climb, touch or enter a meru or restricted temple area.","Confuse a meru with a Buddhist pagoda.","Bring flames, drones or other fire and damage risks near the thatched roofs.","Use temple imagery in ways the community regards as disrespectful."],"requiresHuman":["Publishing images of ceremonies that the temple community may regard as private."]},"ethics":{"considerations":["Meru are sacred shrines, not tourist props; respect for worshippers comes first.","Tourism brings income but also crowding and damage to holy places."],"affectedParties":["Balinese Hindu communities","Temple custodians","Visitors"]},"owners":{"steward":"The temple congregation and its custodians.","roles":[],"masterSystems":[]},"relations":[{"target":"Q811979","type":"parent","note":"registry parent class"},{"target":"shrine","type":"related","note":"in registry terms, and built structure"},{"target":"Mount Meru","type":"related"},{"target":"Pura Besakih","type":"related"},{"target":"pagoda","type":"related"}],"interaction":{"identity":{"applicability":"required","items":["Vercy registry: vr.tr.meru-tower","Wikidata: Q2194811 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2194811)"]},"properties":{"applicability":"required","items":["roof tiers: odd numbers 3-11 count","traditional thatch: ijuk sugar palm fibre note","registry parent: built structure note"]},"recognition":{"applicability":"required","items":["Balinese tiered shrine tower","Meru, pelinggih meru, Balinese pagoda","East Asian pagodas are Buddhist relic towers; shikhara are Indian temple spires; candi are Javanese stone temples; Mount Meru is mythological","A slender tower on a stone base with multiple dark thatched roofs stacked in diminishing tiers."]},"capabilities":{"applicability":"required","items":["explain symbolism","relay construction and roof numbers","describe examples","relay respectful visiting"]},"hazards":{"applicability":"required","items":["Disrespectful visitor behaviour","Fire risk to thatch","Confusing with Buddhist pagodas"]},"interfaces":{"applicability":"required","items":["Indonesian cultural heritage law","Cultural Landscape of Bali Province World Heritage site of 2012 for some temples"]},"context":{"applicability":"required","items":["Honouring deities and ancestors in Balinese temples.","three-roofed meru","five- and seven-roofed meru","nine- and eleven-roofed meru"]}},"sources":[{"title":"Wikidata item Q2194811: Meru tower","url":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2194811","note":"identity and sense of the item"},{"title":"Wikipedia: Meru tower","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meru_tower","note":"general description of the item"}],"openQuestions":["Should notable meru be linked as instances?","How should Balinese architecture sources be linked?","Should Javanese tiered shrines be a separate entry?"],"resources":{"spec":"/models/things/publications/thing-q2194811/spec.json"},"provenance":{"origin":"thing registry research (pass 2)","builtFrom":["models/things/publications/thing-q2194811/spec.json"],"providers":["Claude"],"researchStatus":"unreviewed","generatedAt":"2026-09-13T22:52:39Z","builder":"tools/build_cards.py@1.0.0"},"completeness":{"sections":{"classifiers":"filled","whatItIs":"filled","purpose":"filled","distinguishingFeatures":"filled","structure":"filled","agentConduct":"filled","ethics":"filled","owners":"filled","relations":"filled","interaction.identity":"filled","interaction.properties":"filled","interaction.recognition":"filled","interaction.capabilities":"filled","interaction.hazards":"filled","interaction.interfaces":"filled","interaction.context":"filled","sources":"filled"},"notes":{"_gate":"Published through the thing publication gate 1.0 on 2026-10-07T10:10:28+00:00: completeness 1.00; sense: Wikidata description; 2 live sources; review by codex: pass"},"score":1.0}}