greatemporium mantai

8/18/2019 GreatEmporium Mantai

1/93

MANTAITHE GREAT EMPORIUM OF

Cosmas Indicopleustus

by

Dr. Roland il!aPresident, National Trust -Sri Lanka


2/93

Chairman,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

"e are deepl# pri!ile$ed to %e a%le to address t&is

learned audience on a su%'ect (&ic& (e are

presentl# in!esti$atin$. "e are most conscious o)t&e un*no(n roc*s and (&irlpools t&at (e ma#

c&ance to encounter+ as t&e audience to (&om (e

are addressin$ t&is paper can %e specialists in t&is

discipline+ and could (ell contest man# o) t&esu$$estions t&at (e ma# present. Ho(e!er+ t&e

pro$ress o) science demands re!ision+ re,t&ou$&t

and re,)ormulation o) instincts+ ideas and ideals.


3/93

lide - - ri an*a t&rou$& t&e e#es o) Ptolem# / First Centur# AD

Note t&e si0e o) ri an*a in relation to India


4/93

lide 1

Mannar Island

seen a$ainst t&e

Pearl 2an*s o) ri

an*a+ (it& t&e

International"ater(a#s

passin$ t&rou$&

t&e lar$er Mannar

C&annel+ and t&e

smaller Pam%em

Passa$e+ (&ic& la#

%et(een t&e t(o

Nations o) India

and ri an*a


5/93

lide 3 – Map o) t&e Mannar C&annel and t&e Pam%em Passa$e

MannarChannel

Pambem

Passage


6/93

Apart )rom Cosmas Indicopleustus o) t&e 4t&

centur#+ De 5ue#ro0+ t&e Portu$uese (riter

(as also one o) t&ose (&o re)erred to

Mantota as an Emporium and how right they all were,although in the latters own time the great !hannel o" !ommuni!ation was already

silting# $e was, indeed, aware that the %omans used this waterway to great bene"it

"or he re!ords in his !omments the many %oman arte"a!ts that were dis!o&ered in theere!tion o" the Portuguese "orti"i!ation on the west bank o" the !hannel at Mantota#

T&e popularit# and t&e usa$e o) Mantota as

a ma'or &i$&(a# port is clear )rom t&e man#

and continuous &istorical re)erences to t&isport in t&e di))erent trade records and

c&ronicles. These names in!lude Mahatitagama, Maha&oti, Maha&utu,Ma&atutota, Matottam, Mahatitiha and Modouttou '()#


7/93

lide 6 / ri an*a+ a Continuous Na!i$ational Hu% in

relation to Europe and Asia


8/93

Considering the *osition o" Sri Lanka in its global and na&igational !onte+t

in the an!ient world, Sri Lanka stood to mu!h geogra*hi!al ad&antage in three

ways,

7a8 It (as t&e !ital sout&ernmost point o)mainland Asia9

7%8 It (as almost on t&e E:uator (&erena!i$ational (inds and monsoon e))ects

c&an$ed directions9

7c8 It (as t&e

&al) (a# point %et(een t&e

t(o$reat empires o) Rome and Pe*in$.


9/93

Considerin$ t&ese $eo$rap&ical )eatures+

ri an*a (as a necessar# ;port o) call<

)or anc&ora$e+ a(aitin$ )or t&e ri$&t

(inds )or t&e on(ard 'ourne#+ across

(aters (it&out land in si$&t+ and )or t&ecollection o) )ood+ (ater and ot&er

supplies. Su!h *hysi!al ne!essities !ombined with the so!ial obligations tohuman enduran!e o" being away "rom the homeland, no doubt, en!ouraged the na&igators

to consider ri an*a as a ;port,o),return< to

s&ips callin$ on t&e island eit&er )rom t&e East

or t&e "est.


10/93

s su!h, the natural !ourse o" trade and shi*ment "ound in Sri Lanka were utilied as

an ideal sta$in$ post )or t&e ;trans&ipment

o) $oods< and )or t&e ;%arter o) suc&

products< t&at (ere traded %et(een t&e

distant Empires o) Rome and Pe*in$. The s*oradi!studies on the *orts and !a*itals o" Sri Lanka and the many "oreign arte"a!ts "ound at thesesites are a !lear indi!ation to su!h !lose links# $oards o" %oman !oins "ound in .a""na,

/ataragama, 0ala&e, nuradha*ura, Sigiriya and thirty other sites are &ital *ointers towards

this end '1)# %oman !oins are still a&ailable in the streets o" Colombo "or sale to numismatists

and anti2uarians# The s*read o" Chinese !oins and !erami!s "rom .a""na to Mantota,

nuradha*ura to Polonnaru&a, 3a*ahu&a to Dambadeniya, Sigiriya to Pandu&asnu&ara, /andy

to Galle and Tissamaharama, all !riss-!rossed the length and breadth o" this !ountry to

eliminate any serious doubts o" su!h !lose trade links with this great 4m*ire# The 2uestionraised is only about the e+a!t *osition o" su!h trade transa!tions# $ere again the answers are as

e+tensi&e as the bea!hes o" this !ountry# Many *orts, o"ten at the mouths o" the ri&ers, "ormed

the right ha&en "or su!h trade transa!tions and our !on5e!ture is that Mantota was the "inest o"

su!h *orts in this !ountry at least until the shi*s were too large and the waterway too shallow

"or the !on&enien!e o" the na&igators#


11/93

Slide 6

The im*ortan!e o"Sri Lanka is

em*hasied in this,

Dar* A$es map o"

the world, where

the three known

!ontinents in early

and medie&al

times# namely,

4uro*e, "ri!a andsia are shown and

Sri Lanka 'Ceylon)

is highlighted ne+t

to Paradise#


12/93

lide 4 / T&ere (as consistent interest int&e a))airs o) t&e island %# t&e numerous

reports documented t&rou$&out t&e a$es

%# o))icials+ tra!ellers and traders. T&e

map t&at )ollo(s )rom t&e First Centur#

AD records t&e and,in* %et(een t&e

"est end o) Europe (it& T&apro%ane

7ri an*a8+ t&us recordin$ t&e &istoricalrele!ance o) continued trade and ot&er

contacts


13/93


14/93

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23/93

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26/93

T&ere is &ardl# an# reason to dou%t t&ese

)acts o) &istorical,$eo$rap (&en (e *no(t&at t&ere (as consistent interest in t&e

a))airs o) t&e island %# t&e numerous reports

documented t&rou$&out t&e a$es %# o))icials+tra!ellers and traders. T&e si=t# ei$&t or

more names assi$ned to ri an*a in

&istorical times are in man# (a#s a clear

testimon# o) t&e island


27/93

lide > / T&e i=t# Ei$&t or more Names $i!en to ri an*a

in t&e past indicate t&e man# nations and People t&at

communicated (it& t&is Island tate t&rou$& t&e centuries.

Name Centur# Aut&or or Te=t

mrad&i*a Bth D ;odh Gaya- :ns!ri*tion B

Ceilan (th Mer!ators tlas-(BB

Ceilan (th '!ir!a) Dut!h Ma* E

Ceylan (th de @ueyro F

Ceylao (th de @ueyro (

Ceylon (th %obert /no+ ((

Che-tseu-/ouo 6th >a-$sien (1

Chinilao (th de @ueyro (

4lankai - Tamil (H

$si -lan Bth >eng Che,ng-!hu##ns

(6th 3ing-yai sheng-lan

Ma $uan and Ming

Shih (6


28/93

: l#am ((th Tirumukku-d#al :ns!ri*tion (B

:lerane (th de @ueyro (

.airat l 3IkJt Fth rab $istorian (E

Lam# ka- Hth-1nd ;C %a-ma-yan#a (F

Lam#ka-di-*a Hth D Di-*a&am# sa 1

Lang-ya Bth Ming Shib 1(

Man#d#adi*a Hth and Bth Di-*a&am#sa and Maha-&am#sa 11

75adi-*a Hth and Bth Di-*a&am#sa and Maha-&am#sa 1

7*hir (th '!ir!a) Dut!h Ma* 1H

Palaesimundu (st D Peri*lus o" the 4rythraean Sea 16

Palaiogonoi rd ;C Megasthenes 1B


29/93

Palasimudae (st D Mar!ian o" $era!lea 1

Pallessimonda (th de @ueyro 1E

Pao-t!hou th $suen-Tsang 1F

Parasamudra Hth ;C /aut#ilya

Po-lo-men Eth Tou $oan (

%a!hius (st D San!honiathou 1

%atnadi-*a Bth Manimekala-i

Salabham (Hth '!ir!a) Tamil H

Sali!e (6th Ma* Colombo Museum 6

Salikeib 1nd D Ptolemy B

Sa∪ng-kia-lo th $suen-Tsang

Sarandib 1nd D Samaritan Pentateu!h E

Saylan (6th >ra Mauros Ma* F

S!rilanea (th de @ueyro H

Seilan (6th Martin#;ehaims uremburg GlobeH(

Selendi&e - rab author H1

Senda-n Eth rab author H

Se-ng-ka-lo th :-tsing HH

Serendi&i Hth D 4m*eror .ulian H6


30/93

Shi-tyi-kuo - Chinese author HB

Sielediba Bth Cosmas :ndi!o*leustes H

Sihadi-*a 6th T!hou T!he HE

Si-lan (1th ling wai tai ta HFSilangiri th $suen Tsang 6

Si-louen-tie - Chau .u-kua 6(

Sim#hala Hth D Di-*a&am#sa 61

Sim#halad&i*a – :ndian author 6

Simonda (th de @ueyro 6H

Simondi (6th Ma* - Colombo Museum 66

Simondou 1nd D Ptolemy 6B

Si-nan th Chau .u-kua 6

Sin-tan Eth Tou $oau 6E

Siyalan - rab author 6F

SKri -Lan#ka (Hth Nika-yasam#graha B

Sseu-li - B(

Sseu no-tlao 6th T!nou :!ne B1

Sseu-tiao rd D /ang Tai B


31/93

Su&arn#ad&i-*a (th ti-sa BH

Tamba*an#n#i rd ;C ;odh Gaya %ailing :ns!ri*tion also

Di-*a&am#sa and Maha-&am#sa B6

Ta*obra-na (th de @ueyro and 4rastothenes BB

Ta*roba (Hth Catalan Ma* B

Ta*robana 1nd D Ptolemy Ma* and

(th $ere"ord Ma* BE

Ta*robane Hth ;C 7nesioritus BF

Tenareim (th de @ueyro

Tenasiria (th Pyrard de La&al (

Ternasseri (th de @ueyro 1

Tranate (th de @ueyro

Triku-t#a Hth-1nd ;C %a-ma-yan#a H

9aradi*a Hth and Bth Di-*a&am#sa and Maha-&am#sa 6


32/93

%e!ogniing the geogra*hi!al and geologi!al !onditions o" the island, many an!ient re!ords

list the na&igational routes tra&ersing the !ourse o" this !ountry# T&e

Milindapan&a o) t&e )irst centur# AD+ indicatest&e lines o) communication t&rou$& t&e Mannar

straits lin*in$ C&ina (it& t&e Red ea?

@ust+ O Bin$ as a s&ip o(ner (&o &as %ecome

(ealt %# constantl# le!#in$ )rei$&t in some seaport to(n+ (ill %e a%le to tra!erse t&e &i$& seas+

and $o to an$a+ or Ta**ola or C&ina+ or o!ira+

or urat+ or Ale=andria or t&e Boramandal coast+

or )urt&er India or an# ot&er place (&ere s&ips do

con$re$ate768.


33/93

An E$#ptian sc&olar Hu0a##in states in &is

studies t&at+

@Ho(e!er+ t&e communication %et(een t&e latter

t(o 7Aden and t&e Mala%ar coast8 (as ne!er

a%andoned+ as it recei!ed an impetus %# t&e rise

o) Ce#lon+ and+ later on+ %# t&e de!elopment o)maritime relations %et(een "est and out&,East

Asia / )irst %# (a# o) t&e 2a# o) 2en$al and

a)ter(ards around t&e Mala# Peninsula (&ic&

made t&e ports o) out& India suita%le &al),(a#stations 78.


34/93

lide / Earl# Routes %et(een t&e "est and out&east Asia t&rou$&

t&e Nort& o) ri an*a.


35/93

T&e Mannar traits

T&e popularit# o) t&e sea route !ia t&e Mannar traits

in ancient times+ can %e considered in relation to apossi%le alternate route to t&e out& o) t&e island.

"&ile Mannar traits retained t&e &a0ards o)

s&allo(ness+ (&ic& ultimatel# )orced its a%andonment+

t&e sout&ern (a# (as unin!itin$ due to t&e &idden

roc*s t&at la# to t&e out&,East o) t&e island. T&us t&e

alternate route pro!ed to %e a dan$erous course to %e

encountered at $reat ris* and t&ese misad!entures are)irml# recorded in t&e man# (rec*s t&at are closel#

$uarded under t&e Anti:uities Ordinance+ as an

Arc&aeolo$ical Reser!e o) ri an*a under t&e sea.


36/93

lide / Mediae!al Routes %et(een t&e "est and out&east Asia

circum!entin$ t&e out&ern most landmass o) Asia+ namel#+ ri

an*a .


37/93

It (as )or t&e same reason t&at t&e 2ritis& erected upon

t&ese roc*s t&e Great 2asses and t&e ittle 2asses+ t(o li$&t

&ouses si= miles a(a# out at sea. It is+ no dou%t+ )or t&esame reason t&at t&e C&inese named t&e ittle 2asses t&e

@tone "all Roc*s 7&i& C&


38/93

lide - / T&e i$&t&ouses o) t&e Great and ittle 2asses.


39/93

T&e )inal consensus o) decision %# t&e earl# sailors(as to tra!erse t&e )irst route !ia t&e Mannar

traits and Adam


40/93

lide -- / T&e Elep&ant Braals at Matara in

- accordin$ to Perci!al.JJJJ


41/93

lide -1 /Noosin$ elep&ants at t&e Braals in -4

accordin$ to Tennent


42/93

lide -3 / T&e o$ Dra(,2rid$e at Matara to Ena%le a load

o) -6 Elep&ants in a Ponton %oat to sail t&e animals )or t&e

auctions in a))na and %e sent o!erseas.


43/93

n rab tra&eller Sulayman re!ords his 5ourney in E6( D, "rom ira" near ;arah to 4us2ut and along

a dire!t !ourse to @uilon on the Malabar !oast and "rom thereon round the Comorin and through the Palk

Strait to the Ni!obar islands and the *ort o" /alah#'F)# The 5ourney in the o**osite dire!tion is re!orded by

tra&ellers like >a $ien in the "i"th !entury D, in the year H(( D, when the north-east winds sailed him to

Sri Lanka "rom Tamrali*ti near Cal!utta thus

# he embarked in a mer!hant – &essel, and went "loating o&er the sea to the south-west# :t was the

beginning o" winter and the wind was a&ailableO and a"ter "ourteen days, sailing day and night, they !ame to

the !ountry o" Sinhala '()#

The ma5or break-away "rom this traditional sea route o" tra&ersing the Mannar Straits and dams

;ridge seems to ha&e been abandoned by the 4astern na&igators in the "i"teenth !entury when the shi*s were

mu!h larger rea!hing weights o" H to 6 tons when !om*ared with the 4uro*ean !ounter*arts o" the same

*eriod, whi!h were between 16 and tons#

For e=ample+ C&en$ Ho in &is )irst e=pedition to t&e

sout&ern ports o) India and ri an*a in -6 to -6> (it&

a )leet o) 3-> s&ips and 1>+> troupes arri!ed at 2eru!ala

7--8. He repeated t&is e=ercise se!en times and onl# on one

occasion did &e not anc&or in ri an*a. "&ile on &is t&ird

!o#a$e+ &e e!en considered it appropriate to carr# a(a# t&e

Bin$ o) Rai$ama as a prisoner to C&ina 7-18.


44/93

lide -6 / A*etc& o) C&en$

Ho


45/93

Slide (6 -Portuguese shi*s s!ribble in the Natha

De&ale, /andy in the (th Century


46/93

Slide (B - 4arly sailing shi* "rom around

the (st and 1nd Centuries D in Sri Lanka

-;rahmi :ns!ri*tion


47/93

Slide ( – 3atra doni "rom Medie&al Sri Lanka


48/93

Slide (E – Details o" a Sri Lankan Cra"t


49/93

Slide (F – rri&al o"

the ;o-Tree "rom

;udh Gayare*resented in the

*aintings o" the 1th

Century, /elaniya


50/93

Slide 1 - Samban !ra"ts "rom :ndunesia –

Eth Century, ;orobudur


51/93

Slide 1( - Shi*s

"rom &arious

*la!es and

*eriods

San!hi (st ;C ;harut 1nd ;C

ndhra 1nd D

urangabad 6th D 5anta 6th D

;orobudur Eth D Dut!h (6FE D %ome 1nd D

Chinese th D Chinese (6th D


52/93

$owe&er, the "ourth o" his e+*editions !lears the na&igational trend o" this *eriod when a minor !ontingent

o" his na&y de&iated north-west to the ;ay o" ;engal, and sailed through the Mannar !hannel '()# The "a!t that

this e+*eriment dis!ouraged the general o" e+*loiting the Mannar Channel is !lear when the subse2uent &oyages

a&oided the northern route# 7ur &iew is that the turning *oint o" ma5or na&igation through the Mannar Straits

terminates around this *eriod although the Portuguese and the Dut!h stubbornly !ontinued to design new "lat

bottom boats to tra&erse the shallow sands o" the Mannar Straits#

T&ere is #et anot&er :uestion t&at needs to %e

cleared in terms o) t&e Mannar C&annel and t&at is

(it& re)erence to t&e t(o (ater(a#s t&at la# at eit&er

end o) Adam


53/93

@. %et(een t&em t&ere are onl# t(oc&annels+ one+ t&e %roader %et(een Mannar

and t&e point o) Cardi!a+ capa%le o) )oists

onl#+ t&e ot&er near t&e island o) t&e Pa$odo o)

Ramdecoir 7-68+ o) less dept&+ (&ere it is

necessar# to ;Tanear


54/93

lide 11 / T&e Ramas!aram Bo!il.


55/93

2aldaeus (&o (as c&aplain to t&e troops t&at captured

t&e Portu$uese )ort o) Manner in -4 descri%es t&e

c&annel t&us?

@"e s&all no( spea* o) t&e island o) Mannar

(&ic& (as ancientl# attac&ed to t&e continent+ as

t&e s&allo( straits desi$nated Adam


56/93

The (H or ((F Dut!h Ma*s o" the two .oannes, on!e again show the Mannar Channel '()# :n the

instru!tions o" the Go&ernor-General o" :ndia to the Go&ernor o" Ceylon (B6B-(BE6, it is !learly stated That the

*assage between the !oast o" Ceylon and the island o" Mannar also yields a !ertain in!ome, the !olle!tion o"

whi!h must be looked a"ter# That there is westward o" Mannar, a se!ond strait, whi!h se*arates this island "romthe sandbanks o" dams ;ridge# !onstant wat!h should be ke*t there also '(E)# The Portuguese and the

Dut!h !onstru!ted the Mannar >ort on the island and not on the mainland, in order to *rote!t the !hannel#

7n the north it '!hannel) is *rote!ted by the "ort o" Mannar, whi!h although it has no outer moat, is 2uite

able, by means o" its !annon, to dis*ute the *assage o" any smuggling &essels or 4uro*ean and other shi*s'(F)#

The tolls "rom an!horage and the "erry a!ross the !hannel "or (BFB are gi&en as 6 (Q %i+-dollars '1)#

The dimensions o" the !hannel are stated to be ( (Q miles long '1() and it had taken Go&ernor >al!k hal"

an hour to !ross in (B, but the return 5ourney took one and a hal" hours on a high tide '11)# The main *roblem

o" the !hannel was its la!k o" de*th and this !an be obser&ed "rom the "ollowing te+t where the Dut!h had

designed a s*e!ial shi* to trans*ort ele*hants "rom Matara to .a""na through this waterway#

0e ha&e there"ore been !asting about in our mind "or some other means o" trans*ort, but so "ar we !ould

think o" nothing better than the !onstru!tion o" two large *ontoons, a little larger than the *ontoon RDe $oo*,

whi!h is BH "eet long, (E "eet wide, and "eet dee* !arrying H lasts '1)# :t is a "lat-bottomed &essel with a

round *row and keel, and !arries a mast with misseon and "oresail, so that it may go !lose by the windO and

be!ause o" its "loating !a*a!ity may easily *ass o&er the shallows o" the Mannar ri&er '1H)#

;aldaeus !on"irms this when he states:n "ront o" the "ort 'Mannar) there runs a !anal whi!h admits the na&igation o" small light !ra"ts drawing

, H and 6 "eet o" water, these &essels sailing to .a""na*atan '16)#


57/93

In t&e same (a# Pam%en+ t&ou$& a s&allo(er (ater(a#+ (as

also used %# international s&ips a)ter unloadin$ t&eir $oods

%e)ore crossin$. It (as )or t&is reason t&at t&e Dutc&

encroac&ed on t&is c&annel as (ell+ and attempted to %uild a

)ort as at Mannar 7148. o&n Fraser8. A Maldi!ian c&art o) t&e same #ear too+ s&o(s t&e t(o(ater(a#s 718. Ho(e!er+ t&e Transport Map o) Ce#lon o)

- s&o(in$ t&e steamer route round t&e Island indicates a

course !ia t&e Pam%en Passa$e+ and not t&e Mannar c&annel+

as %# t&en t&e cause(a# %et(een Mannar Island and t&emainland &ad %een constructed 718. T&is+ no dou%t+ mar*ed

t&e end o) t&is &istoric (ater(a#.


58/93

Pamben waterway is mentioned to ha&e been the result o" a brea!h in (HE

during a storm and this being enlarged in (6HF by .oeo >ernandes Correa

')# :ts histori!al interest be"ore that *eriod is limited# :t was the Mannar

Channel that was used throughout history by the Greeks and %omans, rabs

and Persians, :ndians and ;urmese, Malayans, :ndonesians and Chinese#

;ut, as we ha&e noted, the Mannar Channel was neither a dee* nor a wide

e+*anse o" water that was suitable "or na&igation in all weather '()# $en!e,

it was essential to ha&e an an!horing *oint at either end o" the waterway# The

shi*s "rom the west would, there"ore, ha&e an!hored at the old *ort o"/udiramalai to the southwest o" the !hannel# :t was at this *ort, known also

as $i**uros, that nnius Plo!amus the %oman in !ommand o" a &essel, was

re!ei&ed by the kings re*resentati&es "rom Sri Lanka set sail as an embassy

to the !ourt o" Claudius Caesar 'H(-6H D) in %ome "rom the same *ort# The

shi*s a**roa!hing the Mannar Channel "rom the east would ha&e an!hored atthe an!ient *ort o" Mahatittha, immediately northeast o" the waterway# This

*ort was lo!ated at the southernmost *oint o" the ;ay o" ;engal and de

@ueyro has !alled it the gullet o" the great bay, through whi!h shi*s were

guided by the land mass on either !oast '1)#


59/93

lide 13 / T&e Pam%em Passa$e in relation to t&e

Mannar (ater(a#


60/93

Distance and Time %et(een Rome+ Mantota and

Pe*in$

"e &a!e adopted t&e time sc&edules o) s&ippin$ asrecorded %# "armin$ton to indicate t&e time and

distance %et(een t&e port o) Rome and t&at o)

Mantota. As a second 'ourne#+ (e &a!e attempted to

lin* t&e port o) Pe*in$ (it& t&at o) Mantotade!elopin$ )rom t&e records maintained %# Ma Huan

(&o *ept t&e records durin$ t&e !o#a$es o) C&en$ Ho.

T&ese sailin$s &a!e to %e considered in t&e li$&t o)

Roman tra!el co!erin$ t&e turn o) t&is era and (it&re)erence to t&e C&inese 'ourne#s o) C&en$ Ho (&ic&

(ere %asicall# a )ourteent& centur# e))ort.


61/93

lide 16 / T&e Roman sea route )rom Ostia or t&e port

o) Rome+ to t&e traits o) Mannar


62/93

lide 1 / T&e C&inese sea routes )rom t&e straits o) Mannar to iu&o+ t&e Port

o) Pe*in$


63/93

Forei$n contacts (it& ri an*a

A !ariet# o) )orei$n contacts (it& ri an*a is

contained in t&e records t&at can %e summari0edunder na!i$ation+ tradin$+ reli$ion+ political and

documentar#. Shi*s !alled at the an!ient *orts in order to !olle!t su!h *ro&isions as "ood and water that were basi! essentials in na&igation ')# *ilgrim monk o" the eighth !entury had seen thirty "i&e Persian shi*s an!hored at the *ort o"

Mahatittha that were en route to China 'H)# Strabo in the "irst !entury D, re!ords that "rom the 4gy*tian *ort o" Myos $ormos

alone one hundred and twenty shi*s sailed "or the 4ast ea!h year '6)# :t is unlikely that all these shi*s had !ome to trade or

barter with Sri Lanka# Most *robably some o" these would ha&e !alled "or *ro&isions be"ore they sailed through the ;ay o";engal to the Straits o" Mala!!a, a 5ourney that would ha&e lasted about two to three weeks 'B)# $uayyin mentions the

subse2uent im*ro&ements to South sian na&igation thus

@And )inall# t&e de!elopment o) na!i$ations %et(een "est

and East Asia+ underta*en %# t&e ad!ancin$ Perso,

A%ra%ians on t&e one &and and t&e Indo,Mala#sians and

C&inese on t&e ot&er+ made it possi%le )or mariners to ta*e a

still more direct course )rom Ce#lon to Malacca or a!a and

so to t&e ports o) Ton$,*in$ and out& C&ina 73>8.


64/93

:t is also likely that the shi*s sailing east were awaiting "a&ourable wind !onditions to !ross the

;ay o" ;engal, as this is one o" the "ew stret!hes o" sea where land was out o" sight "or a number

o" days 'E)# The shi*s sailing west "rom the *ort o" Mahatittha !ould also ha&e been held u*

during the southwest monsoon, when not only was the Mannar Channel di""i!ult to !ross, but also

the :ndian 7!ean that was beyond# Com*etition in trade would ha&e also !om*elled other nationsto tra&erse the more di""i!ult and dangerous routes# The Sansanide did not *ermit the 4thio*ians to

!oast around the Persian Gul", so that the only !ourse a&ailable to them was to sail "rom Sri Lanka

to den# Hu0a##in states?

@From t&is (e ma# per&aps in)er t&at durin$ t&e 4t&

centur#+ t&e latter island 7ri an*a8 (as in intimaterelations (it& Et&iopia+ and noted as a &al),(a#

station %et(een out&,East and out&,"est Asia.

T&e out(ard crossin$ o) t&e Indian Ocean %et(een

Ce#lon and t&e Gul) o) Aden (as per&aps moredirect t&an t&at )rom t&e same island to t&e $ul) o)

Uman 7Oman8 738.


65/93

Trade was *art and *ar!el o" the transa!tions that took *la!e in the an!ient *orts and the Sri

Lanka harbours were no e+!e*tion# 4&en the thirty "i&e Persian shi*s !ited *re&iously that

were heading "or Canton had "ound it !on&enient to barter some o" their goods "or *re!ious

stones "rom Sri Lanka# A se!ent& centur# AD+ C&inese record in t&e

t&ird #ear o) Teun$,Te&on$ 768+ re)ers to ri an*a as

)ollo(s?

@Ce#lon is situated in t&e middle o) t&e sout&,"est seas.

Its len$t& )rom Nort& to out& e=ceeds 1+ li. It is t&ere

t&at t&e mountain an$,*ia 7an*a8 is )ound. It %ounds in

treasures. T&e treasures t&e people o) t&e countr# spread

out on t&e sur)ace o) t&e island 7$round8? t&e merc&ants

come in %oats and+ a)ter pa#in$ directl# t&e e:ui!alentsum+ ta*e t&em a(a# 76-8.


66/93

De ;ello Persi!o re!ords that

## by *ur!hasing silk "rom the :ndians 'i#e# the traders o" the *orts o" :ndia and Sri

Lanka) and selling it to the %omans, !ould themsel&es gain mu!h money and !ause

bene"it to the %omans in this res*e!t alone, that they 'i#e# the %omans) would be no

longer !om*elled to *ay their money to the enemy 'i#e# the n!ient Persians) 'H1)#

De @ueyro re!ords about the Port o" Matotand .oao de Melo de S# Paya, Ca*tain o" Mannar, in the year (66, ordering the

destru!tion o" some an!ient buildings near that "ortali!e, there were "ound in their

"oundation some !oins o" gold and !o**er with the letters C#L#%#M#N#, whi!h seem

to mean Claidi&s %omanorum 'H)#


67/93

lide 14 / Aerial P&oto$rap& o) t&e Dou%le Moated Port o) Mantai


68/93

Slide 1 – Plan o" the Double Moated *ort o" Mantai

T&e si=t& centur# Gree* (riter Cosmas Indicopleustes (ritin$


69/93

T&e si=t& centur# Gree* (riter Cosmas Indicopleustes (ritin$

a%out trade in ri an*a+ stresses t&e central and important

position t&at t&e island (as &eld as an emporium.

T&ere are t(o *in$s rulin$ at opposite ends o) t&e island+ one o)(&om possesses t&e acint&+ and t&e ot&er t&e district+ in (&ic&

are t&e port and emporium+ )or t&e emporium in t&at place is t&e

$reatest in t&ose parts .. As its position is central+ t&e island is

t&e resort o) s&ips )rom all parts o) India+ Persia and E&iopia+

and+ in li*e manner+ man# are dispatc&ed )rom it. From t&e inner

countries9 I mean C&ina+ and anot&er emporium+ it recei!es sil*+

aloca+ clo!es+ clo!e,(ood+ c&andana+ and (&ate!er else t&e#

produce. T&ese+ it a$ain transmits to t&e outer ports+ , I mean to

Male+ (&ence t&e pepper comes9 to Calliana+ (&ere t&ere is %rassand sesamine,(ood+ and materials )or dress 7)or it is also a place

o) $reat trade8+ and to indon+ (&ere t&e# $et mus*+ castor+ and

androstac&um+ to Persia+ t&e Hemeritic coasts+ and Adula.

Recei!in$ in return t&e e=ports o) t&ese emporiums+


70/93

Tapro%ane e=c&an$es t&em in t&e inner ports 7to

t&e east o) Cape Comorin8 sendin$ &er o(n produce

alon$ (it& t&em to eac&. ielodi%a+ or Tapro%ane+lies sea(ard a%out )i!e da#s sail )rom t&e mainland.

T&en )urt&er on t&e continent is Marallo+ (&ic&

)urnis&es coc&lea9 t&en comes Ba%er+ (&ic& e=ports

;ala%andanum? and ne=t is t&e clo!e countr#+ t&enC&ina+ (&ic& e=ports sil*9 %e#ond (&ic& t&ere is no

ot&er land+ )or t&e ocean encircles it on t&e east.

ielendi%a %ein$ t&us placed in t&e middle as it (ere

o) India+ and possessin$ t&e acint&+ recei!es $oods)rom all nations+ and a$ain distri%utes t&em+ t&us

%ecomin$ a $reat emporium. 7668.


71/93

lide 1 / T&e

Forei$n Arte)acts)ound in t&e Ports

and t&e capital cities

o) ri an*a


72/93

lide 1 / T&e Forei$n Arte)acts )ound in t&e Ports and t&e

capital cities o) ri an*a


73/93




74/93

lide 3- / T&e Forei$n Arte)acts )ound in t&e Ports and t&e



75/93




76/93




77/93




78/93

lide 3 / T&e Di))erent ocal and Forei$n Arti)acts )ound in ri

an*a.


79/93

lide 34 / il* )rom C&ina as $i!en in

t&e 4t& Centur# Gra))iti+ i$iri#a


80/93

lide 3> /

Forei$n

and ocal

coins used

in t&e

e=port

trade in

ri an*a

Des*ite these re!ords 0armington is o" the o*inion that the South :ndian traders !ontrolled mu!h o"

the trade and that it was a standard *ra!ti!e to !on!eal the sour!es o" *rodu!ts transa!ted


81/93

the trade and that it was a standard *ra!ti!e to !on!eal the sour!es o" *rodu!ts transa!ted#

4&idently gathering o" all *rodu!ts was in the hands o" the :ndians themsel&es, e&en in the !ase o"

boryls, in s*ite o" the %oman !oins "rom CoimbatoreO no %oman !oins ha&e been "ound at the *earl-

!entre# Col!hoi is near the *earl-harbours o" Ceylon# The :ndians ke*t their own sour!es se!ret,

while the Tamils ke*t se!ret the Ceylonese origin o" a good deal o" what they sold to %oman

sub5e!ts# 'H6)#

Trade tension between Sri Lanka and the Sassanid 4m*ire had ob&iously run &ery high in the si+th

!entury when $amah-al-is*hihani re!ords that the 4m*eror Cosroos – Noun!hirwan sent a "leet to

subdue the island o" Sarendeeb 'HB)# The e""orts o" Sri Lanka to trade with 4gy*t is re!orded thus

dual e""ort made by the Prin!e o" Ceylon and @ulawoon o" 4gy*t, as early as the eighties o" the

thirteenth !entury, to re&i&e the trade o" the %ed Sea, does not seem to ha&e mu!h a""e!ted the

ra*idly growing trade o" $urmu# 'H)#

"armin$ton also mentions t&at t&e pro%a%le e=ports

)rom ri an*a (ere pearls 768+ $ems 768+ c&an*

s&ells 78+ tortoise s&ell 7-8+ pepper 718+ cinnamon

738+ clo!es 768 and &er%s 78. He moreo!ersu$$ested t&at (ar elep&ants 748 and e!en %irds 7>8

(ere e=ported (&ile &orses 78 (ere imported )rom

Persia.


82/93

Slide E – The Pearl

>isheries were a ma5or

sour!e o" re&enue both in

n!ient, Medie&al and

Colonial times inSri Lanka – The >ort at

the Perl >isheries -

ri**u


83/93

Slide F – >ort at ri**u


84/93

Slide H – ;ritish Go&ernors %esiden!e at ri**u

%eligious interests stimulated "oreign !onta!t with Sri Lanka "rom the earliest *hase o" ;uddhism This


85/93

%eligious interests stimulated "oreign !onta!t with Sri Lanka "rom the earliest *hase o" ;uddhism# This

in!reased when the sa!red te+ts were !ommitted to writing at lu&ihara in the reign o" 9attagamani

bhaya, 'EF- ;C)# >a $ien stayed two years 'H(1-H( D) at the bhayagiri 9ihara, nuradha*ura

to !olle!t the re!orded te+ts "or their use in China#

@Fa Hien so'ourned t(o #ears in t&is *in$dom. He t&en sou$&t)or and o%tained t&e !olume (&ic& contained t&e precepts o)

Nis&am. He o%tained t&e lon$ A &an and t&e miscellaneous A

&an9 at len$t& &e &ad a collection o) t&e di))erent Tsan$+ all o)

t&em %oo*s (&ic& (ere (antin$ in t&e land o) Han. "&en inpossession o) t&ese !olumes in t&e )an lan$ua$e+ &e placed t&em

a%oard a lar$e tradin$ !essel capa%le o) accommodatin$ more

t&an t(o &undred men. A stern (as )astened to a small !essel to

pro!ide a$ainst t&e dan$ers o) a sea !o#a$e+ and in'ur# to t&e

lar$er one. "it& a )a!oura%le (ind t&e# proceeded east(ard )or

t(o da#s+ (&en t&e# (ere o!erta*en %# a &urricane 78.


86/93

0e ha&e e&iden!e that the ;uddha image be!ame *o*ular in China during the "i"th !entury when a

Sri Lankan S!ul*tor !alled Nante !ame to the !ountry with his *rodu!ts and remained there to tea!hthe !ra"t '6)# Sri Lanka was also res*onsible "or introdu!ing the "irst ;uddhist nuns to China in the

"i"th !entury D 'B)# 7" the ;uddhist missions that !ame to Sri Lanka the most eminent were those

o" Mahinda and Sanghamitta, the son and daughter o" 4m*eror soka 'B(), who were known to ha&e

established here the southern bran!h o" the Tree-o"-0isdom 'B1)# Later Simhala &iharas were "ounded

in :ndia at Nagar5unakonda in the se!ond !entury D 'B) at ;odh Gaya in the "ourth !entury 'BH)

and in :ndonesia at %atubaka in the eighth !entury 'B6) :t is re!orded that a ;uddhist *ilgrim "rom

Sri Lanka had assisted in !onstru!ting a railing at ;odh Gaya as early as in the third !entury ;C 'BB)#The last re*airs that were !arried out at the mara&ati &ihara are mentioned to ha&e been e""e!ted by a

Simhala monk "rom Gadaladeni &ihara 'B)# Sena Lamkadhikara, a minister in the "ourteenth !entury

sent money and men to /an!h to establish a ;uddhist Shrine 'BE)# Pagan o" Central ;urma had

established !onta!ts with Sri Lanka in the ele&enth !entury 'BF)# 4&iden!e o" Thai-Sri Lanka links !an

be tra!eable to the eighth !entury a*art "rom those o" the "ourteenth !entury ')# The king o"

/ashmir retired to the /a*ararama Mula at the bhayagiri 9ihara, nuradha*ura in the "i"th !enturyD '()#


87/93

Political ties (it& ot&er countries (ere also

esta%lis&ed and t&ese (ere maintained t&rou$&

em%assies. Apart )rom India t&e stron$est &istoricalalliances t&at ri an*a &ad maintained (as (it&

C&ina 7>18 to (&ic& countr# re$ular em%assies (ere

sent )rom time to time. 0e knew o" embassies sent to em*erors su!h as $iuo-ou-it '-FB D) ') :-hi 'H6-H(E) 'H), those sent to :uen-kia in the "i"th, se&enth and twel"th yearo" his reign 'HEE, H and H6) '6) and to Ta-oung in his "irst year '61) 'B)# Tsoung-t!hang in

his third year'B) ') /ing-iun in his se!ond year '(() 'E), tien-*ao in his "irst, "i"th and ninth

'H1, HB and 6) 'F) and Pao-ing in the "irst year 'B1)# Sri Lanka also sent embassies to %ome to

the !ourt o" ugustus '(H D) or Claudius Caesar 'H(-6H D) 'E) and to the em*eror .ulias 'B(-(H

D) or Claudius Caesar 'H(-6H D) 'E() and to the em*eror .ulias 'B( D) 'E1)# The

9aamsattha**akasini re!ords that ;hatika bhaya '11 ;C – D) sent ambassadors to %omanukkha

and obtained !oral with whi!h he adorned the Mahathu*a in the "orm o" a setting 'E)# Similarly,

en&oys o" the Sri Lankan rulers arri&ed at the Court o" the Nandas in Magadha 'EH)#

Documentar# in)ormation on ri an*a is


88/93

Documentar# in)ormation on ri an*a is

:uite numerous and is )ound %uried in demi,

o))icial reports+ trade ne(s+ tra!ellers tales+Carto$rap&era

$ien# '() $suan-Tsang '((), :-Tsing '(1) and 9a5rabodhi '()# *art "rom the Simhalese and

Tamil inhabitants, Greeks, '(H) Persians, '(6) rabs, '(B) .ews, '() bysinians, '(E) and

:ndo-Chinese '(F) too, had settled in towns as traders and mer!hants#

Conclusion


89/93

Conclusion

adies and Gentlemen+ t&ese notes co!erin$ t&ree speci)ic

aspects?

7a8 t&e $eo$rap&ical location o) ri an*a7%8 t&e direct relations&ips o) t&e Mannar C&annel in t&e

ancient and medie!al na!i$ation9 and

7c8 t&e &istorical )orei$n contacts (it& ri an*a9

all o) (&ic& esta%lis& t&e seriousness (it& (&ic& (e need toapproac& t&e su%'ect o) ri an*a


90/93

* g g

been e+*ressed in the *ast or at least has not been underlined ade2uately# Many o" the

ar!hite!tural monuments in Sri Lanka seem, to ha&e drawn su""i!iently "rom the

re&enue o" "oreign resour!es than has been re!orded in the literature o" this !ountry# o

)ar+ t&e !ie(s e=pressed %# man# a &istorian are t&at ri

an*a (&ic& possesses t&e lar$est %ric* monuments o) t&e

(orld+ some o) t&em reac&in$ (it&in 3 )eet o) t&e massi!e

stone p#ramids o) E$#pt+ (ere %uilt %# eit&er sla!e la%our in

t&e )orm o) @ra'a*ari#a or %# !oluntar# @s&ramadana. "e(is& to e=press a !ie( t&at ma# de!iate to some e=tent )rom

t&is ort&odo= standpoint. I) (e are to loo* into t&e records o)

t&e construction o) t&e Ma&at&upa or t&e Ru!an!elise#a at

Anurad&apura+ (e see t&at Bin$ Dutu$emunu states !er#

clearl# t&at &e (ould not li*e to %urden &is people an# more

a)ter &a!in$ muc& o) t&eir resources spent in a ma'or (ar

7---8.


91/93

lide 6- / T&e T&ree Ma'or tupas at Anurad&apura in relation to

t&e lar$est o) t&e T&ree P#ramids o) E$#pt

6 )t.

6 )t.3>1 )t.

3 )t.

Pyramid No# ( .eta&ana Stu*a bhayagiri Stu*a %u&an&eli Stu*a

s su!h his solution was that he would *ay "or all the labour that he would utilie "or

t ti thi li i t d th b th " ll it " h t ti t


92/93

!onstru!ting this religious monument and thereby, a!!rue the "ull merits o" su!h !onstru!tion to

himsel" '((1)# 0e also see in the same re!ord how he *ra!tised this *oli!y "or when a ;uddhist

monk had &olunteered assistan!e to a mason by li"ting the materials u* the stu*a to the *la!e o"

work, and when the guards in"orming the /ing o" this &oluntary a!t, the /ing arranged "or these

wat!hers to *ursue the *ath o" the monk and o""er him a set o" robes as a gi"t "or the work that hehad a!!om*lished, thus assuring the "ull merits o" the !onstru!tion o" the stu*a to the /ing and

/ing alone# T&e :uestion (e need to as* oursel!es is+ )rom (&ere

did t&e Bin$ o%tain &is (ealt& to erect suc& an enormous

stupa in t&e second centur# 2C K Our o(n !ie( is t&at t&e

*in$


93/93

0e do not wish to ta+ you "urther in this e+tended

le!ture but ho*e that we ha&e *la!ed be"ore you

su""i!ient digesti&e material that will rouse your interestand your imagination in your *ursuit in linking the

traditional routes o" Silk and S*i!e "rom Peking to

%ome# May your own resear!hes be "ruit"ul, en5oyable

and ins*iring

T&an* #ou.

Endnotes

The 4ndnotes will "ollow in the "inal *rint out#

greatemporium mantai

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