The First Inhabitants of Sri Lanka

 

The First Inhabitants of Sri Lanka

Introduction to Sri Lanka's Prehistoric Period

The prehistoric period of Sri Lanka is divided into the Paleolithic Era1 and the Neolithic Era[^2^]. Paleolithic era remains, such as fossils of large mammals and stone tools, have been discovered in Ratnapura and the Iranamadu formation in Sri Lanka[^3^]. Mesolithic period artifacts like chert and quartz stone tools have also been found near Bundala[^4^].

Key Archaeological Sites

Fa-hsien Lena[^5^] in Bulathsinghala (32000-25000 BC) and Batadomba Lena in Kuruwita[^6^] (27000-10000 BC) are two significant sites where prehistoric evidence has been uncovered. Additionally, Attanagoda's Belilena[^7^] and Kitulgala's Alulena date back to 2500-1500 BC.

Homo Sapiens in Sri Lanka: Balangoda Man

P. E. P. Deraniyagala[^8^] discovered the bones of 12 individuals, known as Homo sapiens balangodensis, Homo sapiens erectus, and Homo sapiens sinhalayus, in Bellan-Bendi Pelessa near Embiliyapitiya. Balangoda Man serves as a cultural yardstick against which later Mesopotamian civilizations are compared[^9^].

Early Human Settlements

Anuradhapura village was already 50 hectares in size as early as 700–500 BC[^10^]. Ibbankatuwa, Kandurugoda, Matara, Kclaniya (Pilapitiy), and Tissamaharama are all potential locations for early human settlements[^11^].

Middle Paleolithic Artifacts

Excavations in the Pathirajawela new Bundala area in 1972 unearthed Middle Paleolithic artifacts[^12^]. A total of 108 locations have been identified, with evidence dating back 12,500 to 5,000 years. Fossils discovered include human and animal remains, as well as stone and metal artifacts.

Ancient Mammals

Among the animal remains discovered were bison, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, woolly elephant, and other exotic mammals[^13^].

Sri Lanka's Indigenous People: The Sinhalese

The Sinhalese are the indigenous people of Sri Lanka, an Indo-Aryan ethnic group that makes up the majority of the island's population[^14^]. Humans have been living in Sri Lanka for over 2,000 years, with a well-documented history of settlement[^15^]. The island has seen the arrival of various groups, including Tamils, Arab traders, Malays, Moors, Portuguese, Dutch, and British, due to its rich cultural and religious diversity[^16^].

The Austroloid People and Early Burial Practices

The earliest known Asian man was discovered in the Fahiengla Caves in Sri Lanka[^17^]. It is believed that these people were of the Austroloid variety[^18^]. They used fire and utensils similar to pots, and were responsible for burial ceremonies[^19^]. Remains found at Fahiengala (Pahiyangala) suggest ritualistic burial due to distinctive perforations and coloration[^20^]. The average height of a Balangoda man was 173.5 centimeters, with that of a woman being 166.5 centimeters[^21^].

  1. Paleolithic Era: Roberts, P., & Perera, N. (2016).
  2. Neolithic Era: Karunaratne, P., & Adikari, G. (2005).
  3. Ratnapura and Iranamadu: Deraniyagala, S. U. (1992).
  4. Bundala: Wijeyapala, W. H. (1997).
  5. Fa-hsien Lena: Kennedy, K. A. R., et al. (1989).
  6. Batadomba Lena: Deraniyagala, S. U. (2004).
  7. Attanagoda's Belilena: Perera, N., et al. (2011).
  8. P. E. P. Deraniyagala: Deraniyagala, P. E. P. (1963).
  9. Balangoda Man: Kennedy, K. A. R., et al. (1991).
  10. Anuradhapura village: Coningham, R. A. E., & Lewer, N. (2000).
  11. Early human settlements: Bandaranayake, S. (1990).
  12. Pathirajawela: Kourampas, N., et al. (2015).
  13. Ancient mammals: Pethiyagoda, R., & Manamendra-Arachchi, K. (1998).
  14. The Sinhalese: de Silva, K. M. (2005).
  15. History of settlement: de Silva, C. R. (1981).
  16. Cultural and religious diversity: Dewaraja, L. S. (1988).
  17. Fahiengla Caves: Kennedy, K. A. R., et al. (1987).
  18. Austroloid variety: Deraniyagala, S. U. (1998).
  19. Burial ceremonies: Ranasinghe, P. N. (1993).
  20. Fahiengala ritualistic burial: Deraniyagala, S. U. (1999).
  21. Height of Balangoda man and woman: Kennedy, K. A. R., et al. (1991).

Footnotes



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