Features

Ruminations on Sri Lanka’s Ancient Past

Published

5 years ago

2021/11/27

Sahan Weerasooriya

Part IV

By Seneka Abeyratne

Let us now turn our attention to Sri Lanka’s prehistory corresponding to the Stone Age. Although it is possible that a Paleolithic, or Early Stone Age, culture existed in the island more than one hundred thousand years ago, the archaeological evidence in support of this hypothesis is somewhat sketchy. On the other hand, the discovery of rare fossil remains of homo-erectus in Balangoda, a region in south-central Sri Lanka, is strong archaeological evidence that the island was probably inhabited by primitive ape-like men about 34,000 BP. “These anatomically modern prehistoric humans belonged to what are called the Balangoda cultures,” as stated by de Silva, K.M. ‘A History of Sri Lanka’, fifth edition, 2016. The stone implements found in the island are mostly of the Mesolithic, or Middle Stone Age, type which date back to about 28,000 BP and are associated with a hunter-gatherer way of life. They are similar to those found in the South-Indian peninsula, which suggests that there were cultural connections between Sri Lanka and South India during prehistoric times.

But the stone implements of Sri Lanka show a higher degree of local specialization than those of South India, which suggest first, that migration of technique figured more prominently in this development than migration of peoples and second, that adoption and local adaptation of improved technology played a key role in both territorial and population expansion during that period. It must be emphasized that this interpretation represents the line of thinking pioneered by Senake Bandaranayake, which differs radically from the conventional viewpoint.

We may note in passing that new evidence, in the form of miniaturized bone and stone implements or ‘projectiles’, has emerged from the site of the Fa-Hien cave in Kalutara District (Western Province), to indicate that previous assumptions regarding the earliest period of human settlements in the island need to be re-examined. Employing radiocarbon technology, scientists have determined that the bone implements (arrowheads) were used around 48,000 BP (Hanson, Molly, ‘48,000-year-old bone arrowheads and jewelry discovered in Sri Lankan cave’, Internet, 2020) and the stone implements (microliths), around 45,000 BP (Randall, Ian, ‘Ancient 45,000-year old quartz tools ‘used to hunt animals up trees’ are found in Sri Lanka’, Internet, 2019). To quote Hanson: “If the researchers’ conclusions are correct, this finding marks the earliest definitive proof of high-powered projectile hunting in a tropical rainforest environment.”

Protohistory

It is important to note that there is little evidence of a clearly defined Neolithic (Late Stone Age) culture in Sri Lanka. It appears the island bypassed the Neolithic period on the whole and moved directly from the Middle Stone Age (Mesolithic Period) to the Early Iron Age. Since, in the South Asian context, the Early Iron Age and megalithic cultures are coterminous, the term ‘Early Iron Age megalithic culture’ is increasingly gaining currency (Seneviratne, Sudharshana. ‘Common Lankan, South-Indian Trade Routes in Early Iron Age’, Interview, 2006). We should also note that the Early Iron Age coincides with the island’s protohistory, the period between prehistory and Early Historic Period when the existing culture had not yet developed writing. Protohistory; megalithic culture; Early Iron Age, the timeframe for all three periods is more or less the same: 1,000 BCE to 500 BCE.Sudharshana Seneviratne is of the view that the megalithic culture of Sri Lanka was very similar to that of Southern India in respect of key attributes such as pottery types, symbols on megalithic pottery, iron technology, bead types, black and red ware (BRW), and megalithic tombs. Moreover, he opines that migration of techniques occurred in both directions.

The following quote helps identify the fundamental difference between ‘prehistory’ and ‘Early Iron Age’ in the South-Asian context: “The prehistoric period cannot be counted as a formative period since it is represented by nomadic stone-using groups which did not sustain institutions…But with the ushering in of iron came semi-settled village culture and most importantly, the domestication of plants and animals in the far South and Sri Lanka in association with the Early Iron Age culture. This was a watershed development…the point of commencement of Early Iron Age culture. By far South, I mean an area south of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, going all the way down to Sri Lanka, that is, an area engulfing modern Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Sri Lanka” (ibid).

Historic leap

A prominent feature of Sri Lanka’s historical trajectory that distinguishes it from the corresponding Indian experience is the relatively late but extremely rapid transition from stone-age hunting and gathering to an advanced, and literate, agrarian civilization, a historical leap, if you will, that seems to have occurred in the first millennium BCE (Bandaranayake, Senake, ‘The Settlement Pattern of the Protohistoric-Early Historic Interface in Sri Lanka’, 1989). We may also note another historian’s observations in this regard: “Historical age in any country begins from the time history can be clearly reconstructed with written records. It is generally believed that an alphabet and the art of writing were introduced into the island during the time of Devanampiya Tissa (250 BCE-210 BCE)…It is due to this reason that the Mahavamsa stories related to the period from the time of the demise of the Buddha to the reign of Devanampiya Tissa have to be examined with caution…From the third century B.C. onwards, a reasonably clear history could be reconstructed with corroborative evidence in contemporary lithic records and chronicles” (Siriweera, W.I. ‘History of Sri Lanka: From earliest times up to the sixteenth century’, second edition, 2004).

The territorial authority of the Anuradhapura monarchs from Devanampiya Tissa to Elara (250-161 BCE) did not extend beyond a limited region. There were several polities ruled by chieftains which were more or less autonomous. The first monarch to end the power of the feudal chiefs was Dutugemunu (161-137 BCE). Under his rule, the whole country was transformed into a unified political entity for the first time in its history (Ibid).

Under the unified system of governance, provincial administrative structures were established to complement the central bureaucracy. The key positions in the vast bureaucratic machinery were held by close or distant relatives of the king. Thus lineage was a key factor in enabling one to rise to a position of power and authority. Perhaps due to the influence of Buddhism, there was no attempt by the royalty to impose a Wittfogelian type of despotic rule over the island. “The king, as well as the bureaucrats, were expected to balance the scales of justice” (ibid). Moreover, wherever possible, the king was expected to ensure fair play in administration so as to discourage government officials from engaging in corrupt practices. Whereas the strong kings generally abided by these principles, the weak ones did not. Invariably, during the reign of a weak king, the bureaucracy ran amok and fomented revolt and dissent, especially in the provinces.

All News Advertisement

Features

The hard challenge of clinching a political settlement in the Middle East

Published

3 mins ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Bruised hearts: Displaced Palestinian civilians in the Gaza.(Photo by Mustafa Hassona/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Despite some sections of the Trump administration persisting with the view that the possibility could not be entirely ruled out of there being a diplomatic solution to the current US-Iran hostilities in West Asia, the skeptic could not be blamed for thinking otherwise. The intensity, scale and frequency of the tit-for-tat strikes by the antagonists over the past few days against selected military targets and civilian infrastructure in particular in West Asia make the adoption of this stance excusable.

The continuing hostilities render the mentioning of the MOU signed between the warring parties in mid-June a laughable matter. While it could very well be that the foes are wishing privately for a cessation of hostilities before long, what seems to be uppermost on their minds right now is to negotiate with each other from a position of strength. This strategy compels them to incapacitate each other militarily to the extent possible, lest they have to concede too much to each other during negotiations. Hence the stepped-up hostilities.

However, even on the question of there being a negotiated political settlement in the West Asian theatre in the longer term, the skeptic could come to be seen as scoring over the optimist. Developments on the ground account for this.

At the time of writing Israel’s Netanyahu government is going ahead in fairly care-free fashion with the establishment of more Jewish settlements in the Gaza and the West Bank, and it’s all happening under the apparently complacent gaze of the US. In fact, some quarters estimate that Israel is in control of some 65% of the Gaza Strip. Ethnic cleansing, that is, is being drastically stepped-up.

Accordingly, in terms of the power relations of West Asia, the world is almost back to the status quo of the late forties of the last century when the state of Israel was established and the Palestinians were reduced to a microscopic minority in the land they came to inhabit. Therefore, even the impartial observer would be compelled to ask: ‘Will a negotiated peace be ever possible in the Middle East?’

The humanist in the observer would prefer to answer this question in the affirmative and it is indeed the ideal stance to adopt considering the staggering human and material costs of the conflict. But the way ahead to peace could be expected to be highly hazardous and arduous. Among other odds, it would also prove an uphill endeavour to win minds and hearts.

The US’ Trump administration would need to be counted out in this pursuit. This is on account of the fact that it has been far too wayward in its management of West Asian affairs in particular over the past couple of years. Given its unpredictable character it is a matter for conjecture whether it could be counted on to live up to its commitments.

Moreover, Israel could be expected to ‘go it alone’ in the Middle East regardless of whether US help is coming or otherwise. It has indicated as much in recent times and Israel could be doubted on this score only at the doubter’s peril. Because time and again Israel has demonstrated that it could steadfastly defend its interests even single-handedly in the Middle East. History bears this out.

However, a durable alliance with the US would stand Israel in good stead. On the matter of military and intelligence assistance, for example, the US’s help proved invaluable for Israel in the past and going forward this is bound to be so as well. Moreover, it is unlikely that the Trump administration would give up on Israel, considering that a strong Israel is crucial for the furtherance of the US’ strategic and economic interests in West Asia.

But whether the above factors would have a considerable bearing on the question of working out a durable solution to the West Asian tangle is an entirely different matter. Israel, as in the case of the Palestinian enclaves, is acutely security conscious and would need to satisfy itself fully that it could live in a security environment that would guarantee its complete safety, going forward.

The Middle East is badly in need of another peace effort on the lines of the Oslo Accords of the mid-nineties that brought the key actors together and helped hammer out a solution that addressed some of their notable concerns. To be sure, that process did not prove to be the ideal answer to the tangle, but it yielded some respite to the region and drove home that one-time sworn foes could indeed negotiate with a degree of success. The West Bank authority, although falling short of fulfilling some key Palestinian aspirations, is testimony that a degree of success is possible if the intent is right.

Given the current realities of West Asia, peace-making is bound to be an uphill challenge. The violence faced in recent times by the Palestinian community, in particular, has been nothing less than mind-numbing. Merciless has been the violence visited on them by the Israeli side. In such circumstances, durable peace in the region could smack of an idealist’s dream.

Nevertheless, there needs to be urgently, a meeting of minds over the divides. The US would need to be counted out as an honest broker in bringing the sides together but the rest of the West would do well to step up to the challenge.

In this exercise the onus would be on the world’s democracies to take the initiative and doggedly stay the course. An acceptable combination would be the EU and the UN. Given their credentials, the main sides in West Asia ought to find them the least controversial.

Even if the relevant institutional and political arrangements could be shored up to take a reconciliation process forward, winning hearts and minds for the peace drive would prove a grueling challenge. Over the past few years in particular tens of thousands of hearts and minds on both sides of the divide have been bruised badly in the runaway murderous violence that has come to define the Middle East.

These badly scarred personalities would need to experience healing without much delay. It is therefore a multi-faceted challenge that is at hand. Since wide-ranging expertise would be needed in the healing process, people’s participation in peace-making, ranging over the divides, would need to be made a durable reality. It will be a time for enthroning humanity and ensuring the rejection of all forms of violence and coercion.

Features

Amazing Thailand …right here in Colombo

Published

5 mins ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

For many Sri Lankans, Thailand is the go-to holiday — beaches, temples, food, and that famous warm hospitality.

In fact, I’ve been to Amazing Thailand 24 times myself, and was honoured with the Friends of Thailand International Media Award by the Tourism Authority of Thailand for promoting Thai tourism.

The good news I have for you today is that you don’t even need a passport to get a taste of Amazing Thailand.

The Royal Thai Embassy, in Colombo, is bringing a vibrant slice of Thailand, to the city of Colombo, with Thai Festival 2026 — a cultural experience like never before.

Whether you are an avid enthusiast of Thai culture, a total novice, or simply just interested in exploring foreign cultures, Thai Festival 2026 is going to be the perfect opportunity for you to get more than just a glimpse into one of the most celebrated cultural heritages in South East Asia. And ENTRANCE IS FREE.

The festival will be held on the 1st and 2nd of August, 2026, at Siam Nivasa, 43, C.W.W. Kannangara Mawatha, Colombo 7, and the East Parking Area, of the Colombo Municipal Council, from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

Both days will be full of live entertainment, and dispersed throughout with Thai cultural displays, including exhilarating traditional dance performances and breathtaking Muay Thai demonstrations.

Exploring art and craft specific to Thailand, tasting irresistible authentic Thai cuisine, and playing arcade games, are just a few more fun-filled events available for visitors at the festival premises.

An array of Thai products will also be available for purchase.

While at the festival, you will find Sri Lankan Alumni from Thai universities sharing their experiences with you and willing to answer any questions you might have, related to studying abroad in Thailand.

You can also register for the Muay Thai workshop that will be happening on the 7th and 8th of August, 2026, in Colombo.

Irresistible authentic Thai cuisine

Visitors can also stand a chance to win traditional Thai souvenirs, get exclusive photo opportunities, and, the big one — to enter the raffle draw, at the end of each day, for the grand prize of an all-inclusive round trip to Thailand.

Be sure to avail yourself of this exceptional opportunity and add a cultural spin to your weekend.

To keep up with the latest updates on Thai Festival 2026, head over to the Thai Festival official social media pages.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo official webpage:

https://colombo.thaiembassy.org

Official social media:

Facebook: @RTEColombo

Instagram: @thaiembassysrilanka

Thai Festival official social media:

Facebook: Thai Festival in Colombo

Instagram: @thaifestival_colombo

TikTok: @thaifestival.incolombo

Features

Thicker, stronger hair …

Published

6 mins ago

2026/07/23

Sahan Weerasooriya

Hair fall, in this heat, can be so frustrating, and noticing a thin patch is even more worrying. The good news is … yes, with a little care and kitchen ingredients, you can nourish your scalp and support healthy regrowth.

Try these four easy home remedies … even our grandmothers trusted:

* Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves Tonic:

Warm 04 tablespoons of coconut oil, with a handful of curry leaves, till the leaves turn black. Cool, strain, and massage into scalp 02-03 times a week. Leave for 01 hour, or overnight.

Why:

Coconut oil deeply nourishes, while curry leaves help strengthen roots and add shine.

* Onion Juice for Spot Treatment:

With cotton, dab the juice of 01 small onion, directly on the thin/bald patches. Leave for 20-30 minutes, and then wash with a mild shampoo. Use twice a week.

Why:

Rich in sulfur, onion juice helps boost blood circulation to the scalp.

* Aloe Vera and Castor Oil Mask:

Mix 02 tablespoons of fresh aloe vera gel and 01 tablespoon castor oil and apply to the scalp, focusing on thinning areas. Leave for 45 minutes, and then rinse with cool water.

Why:

Aloe vera soothes the scalp, while castor oil coats hair to make it look thicker.

* Fenugreek and Curd Strengthening Pack:

You will need 02 tablespoons fenugreek seeds, soaked overnight, and 02 tablespoons plain curd.

Grind to a paste, apply to scalp for 30 minutes, and then wash.

Why:

Fenugreek strengthens strands and reduces breakage.

Extra Tips for Healthy Hair:

Avoid tight hairstyles that pull on the scalp.

Eat iron and protein rich foods: greens, dhal, eggs, fish.

Use lukewarm water, not hot.

Be gentle when brushing and drying.