ICSS 2013
Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://repository.kln.ac.lk/handle/123456789/10231
Browse
2 results
Search Results
Item Measures taken by ancient kings to protect animals(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Jayathilaka, W.A.H.Here, protection means securing life safety of human being or animals. It is essential principle of the world we are living. Animals render a great help to human life. The state of the animals in a particular society depends on the attitudes and norms of the said society. When examining the human history it is evident that humans were successful in domesticating the animals such as goats, sheep, cows, elephants, and horses. These animals were connected with the social economical and cultural life of the ancient societies. The basic necessities of the human beings were fulfilled by animals. Hence, there was a well established correlation between humans and animals. However, destroying animal life is also done by human activities. Therefore, protection of animals was a necessity even in the past. Because of this, a policy for protection of animals was a true challenge. Ancient rulers of Sri Lanka were successful in facing this challenge by implementing effective strategies to protect animals. The object of this research is to examine the animal protection policy of ancient kings from the Anuradhapura kingdom. The question raised by this research is that, what was the nature of the contribution made by the ancient kings in this regard. Primary and secondary sources were used for this research. It is clear that disturbing animals or the unkindness towards birds, fish, cows and other animals were not only prevented but also protected eagerly by the kings. For an example, King Buddhadasa had treated a cobra and removed a boil in its body with surgery and later the cobra had presented a gem as a sign of gratitude to the king. Hence we can conclude that the Kings had done a great service towards protecting animals during the Anuradhapura Period.Item The role of the traders in monetary transactions in ancient Sri Lanka(University of Kelaniya, 2013) Gunawardana, V.D.N.S.Hereby, attention is focused on the study of the monetary transactions in the Anurādhapura period which runs from the 6th B.C. to 1017 A.C. In order to understand the nature of the internal trade of the Anuradhapura period, the inscriptions are found from the places such as Vilbavehera, Bambaragastalawa, Peripuliynkulama, Situlpawwa. The best inscription that can be taken into consideration during the study of the nature of the internal trade of Sri Lanka is the Badulla pillar inscription, which belongs to the reign of king III Udaya or IV Udaya. This particular pillar inscription was found by, Mr Jone Belli, a deputy British agent in the year of 1857, within close proximity to the reservoir of Sorabora, which was around three miles from the East of the Mihiyangana Dageba. It has been inscribed that the trade had been practiced in a town by the name of “Hopitigamuwa”. The prologue of the inscription states that the traders and the dwellers had submitted a petition on the malpractices done, to the king Udaya, during an official visit to the Mahiyangana Dageba. With reference to the Badulla pillar inscription, it is said, that those days the scales had been used in order to measure the grain. According to the Badulla inscription, it is understood that the bulls had been used for the transportation of goods. According to the Moragoda inscription, both buffalos and the bulls had been used. It is believed that in the ancient Sri Lanka, there existed a system which is similar to that of the present day banking system in order to deposit money and grain, and this particular financial institution was introduced as “Niyamatana”. The inscriptions of Thonigala and Labuatabedigala clearly provide with further information.