The role of the traders in monetary transactions in ancient Sri Lanka

Abstract

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.