TALES OF CEYLON

was inhabited by hunter gatherer humans over 75,000 years ago. Stone tools found throughout the country from this period, as well as iron tools found dating back to about the 9 th century BC indicate that the early people experimented with food production and irrigation. The earliest human settlers on the island are believed to have been absorbed by the Indo-Aryans who arrived from northern India around the 5 th century BC.

Sri Lanka’s early history was written by Buddhist chroniclers, starting from about the 4 th century BC. The oldest historical manuscript is the Dīpavamsa, and it is believed to have been the main source for the more comprehensive Mahāvaṃsa compiled in the 5 th or 6 th century AD. This text was followed by the Cūlavaṃsa, which covers the history of Sri Lanka up to the 19 th century AD. Apart from written sources, these texts include stories and tales which were orally passed down by Buddhist monks, some of which even cross the boundary into myth and legend.