A Study of Personal Ornaments Made of Animal Bones and Teeth as a Social Identities

Abstract

The Historical period is an interesting phase for observing the changes which affected the material culture and the ideology of the ancient group in Sri Lanka. The production of personal ornaments made of animal bones and teeth improved and new types appeared. A new kind of ornament object was often linked to a new costume expressing a particular social identity, and therefore to new social messages. This paper focuses on the personal ornaments of the early historic groups of Sri Lanka and taken into consideration their geographical distribution, the raw materials employed, the exchange networks, the interrelation between different groups and the funerary practices. The analysis of the changes in materials, shapes of the objects can also give an insight into early historic social identities.