Image title: Sri Lanka, Imported Beads

English text:

Prestige and aesthetics: Imported Beads — Foreign Beads made out of various mediums such as glass and semi precious stones are one of the major categories of artifacts found in Sri Lanka. Perhaps the earliest example of such unearthed beads is from the ancient citadel in Anuradhapura and a hoard of imported beads excavated from the megalithic cemetery situated in the village Ibbankatuva of the Central province. This collection comprised of imported beads made of different stones including carnelian and onyx with other local varieties of agate and clay. Ibbankatuva cemetery has been radiometrically dated to the 450 BCE. Carnelian might have been imported from Deccan region of the Indian Peninsula.

Most of the ancient imported Glass beads found in Sri Lanka were technologically inspired from a tradition which is known as the Indo-Pacific Glass beads. The term Indo-Pacific denotes a monochrome bead industry which flourished from Ghana to China, Mali to Bali and South Africa to South Korea. The Blue Glass beads imported from the Mediterranean region and the segmented metal (copper) beads are some of the most prestigious and aesthetically valued imported beads found in Sri Lanka.

1) The Necklace Excavation From Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Cemetery (450 BCE), Matale District
2) Beads recovered from the ancient urban mound in Tissamaharama, Hambanthota District

Sinhala text (not proofread):

මහාම්‍ය බව සහ සෞන්දර්ය: ආනයනය කළ පබළු — වීදුරු සහ අර්ධ මැණික් ආදී විවිධ මාධ්‍යවලින් නිමවන ලද ආනයනය කළ පබළු ශ්‍රී ලංකාවෙන් හමුවන පුරාවස්තු අතර ප්‍රධාන තැනක් ගන්නා එක් වර්ගයකි. සමහර විට එසේ ආනයනය කළ පැරණිතම නිදර්ශනය විය හැක්කේ මධ්‍යම පළාතේ ඉබ්බන්කටුව නම් ගමේ පිහිටි මහාශිලා සුසානභූමිය කැණීමෙන් සොයා ගත් පබළු එකතුවයි. එයට ආනයනය කළ කානීලියන් සහ ඔනික්ස් යන අර්ධ මැණික් වලින් කළ පබළු ද අගස්ති සහ මැටියෙන් කළ දේශීය පබළුද අයත් වී තිබිණි. ඉබ්බන්කටුව සුසානභූමිය ක්‍රිස්තු පූර්ව 450ට අයත් බව විකිරණශීලී ක්‍රමයෙන් මැන බලා තිබේ. කානීලියන් මෙරටට ආනයනය කරන්නට ඇත්තේ ඉන්දියානු උපමහාද්වීපයට අයත් ඩෙකාන් ප්‍රදේශයෙන් විය යුතුය.

ශ්‍රී ලංකාවෙන් සොයා ගෙන තිබෙන බොහෝමයක් ආනයනය කළ වීදුරු පබළු ඉන්දු-පැසිෆික් වීදුරු පබළු නමින් හැඳින්වෙන ඒකාත්මික තාක්ෂණ සම්ප්‍රදායකින් ආනුභාව ලබා තිබේ. ඉන්දු - පැසිෆික් යන පදයෙන් හැඟවෙන්නේ ඝානාවේ සිට චීනය දක්වාත් මාලදිවයිනේ සිට බාලි දිවයින දක්වාත් දකුණු අප්‍රිකාවේ සිට දකුණු කොරියාව දක්වාත් පැතිරී ගිය ඒකවර්ණ පබළු කර්මාන්තයකි. මධ්‍යධරණී ප්‍රදේශයෙන් ආනයනය කරන ලද නිල් පැහැති වීදුරු පබළු සහ තඹ ලෝහයෙන් නිමවන ලද ඛණ්ඩිත පබළු ශ්‍රී ලංකාවෙන් හමු වී තිබෙන මහාම්‍ය වූත් සෞන්දර්යයෙන් අගතැන් වූත් නිදර්ශනයි.

1) ඉබ්බන්කටුවේ මහා ශිලා සුසාන භූමිය කැණීමෙන් සොයා ගන්නා ලද මාලය (ක්‍රිස්තු පූර්ව 450), මාතලේ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය
2) තිස්ස මහාරාමයේ නාගරික ගොඩැල්ලෙන් සොයාගත් පබළු, හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්‍රික්කය

Transcription:

mahāmya bava saha saundarya: ānayanaya kaḷa pabaḷu — vīduru saha ardha mæṇik ādī vividha mādhyavalin nimavana lada ānayanaya kaḷa pabaḷu śrī laṅkāven hamuvana purāvastu atara pradhāna tænak gannā ek vargayaki. samahara viṭa esē ānayanaya kaḷa pæraṇitama nidarśanaya viya hækkē madhyama paḷātē ibbankaṭuva nam gamē pihiṭi mahāśilā susānabhūmiya kæṇīmen soyā gat pabaḷu ekatuvayi. eyaṭa ānayanaya kaḷa kānīliyan saha oniks yana ardha mæṇik valin kaḷa pabaḷu da agasti saha mæṭiyen kaḷa dēśīya pabaḷuda ayat vī tibiṇi. ibbankaṭuva susānabhūmiya kristu pūrva 450ṭa ayat bava vikiraṇaśīlī kramayen mæna balā tibē. kānīliyan meraṭaṭa ānayanaya karannaṭa ættē indiyānu upamahādvīpayaṭa ayat ḍekān pradēśayen viya yutuya.

śrī laṅkāven soyā gena tibena bohōmayak ānayanaya kaḷa vīduru pabaḷu indu-pæsifik vīduru pabaḷu namin hændinvena ēkātmika tākṣaṇa sampradāyakin ānubhāva labā tibē. indu - pæsifik yana padayen hæṅgavennē ghānāvē siṭa chīnaya dakvāt māladivayinē siṭa bāli divayina dakvāt dakuṇu aprikāvē siṭa dakuṇu koriyāva dakvāt pætirī giya ēkavarṇa pabaḷu karmāntayaki. madhyadharaṇī pradēśayen ānayanaya karana lada nil pæhæti vīduru pabaḷu saha taḅa lōhayen nimavana lada khaṇḍita pabaḷu śrī laṅkāven hamu vī tibena mahāmya vūt saundaryayen agatæn vūt nidarśanayi.

1) ibbankaṭuvē mahā śilā susāna bhūmiya kæṇīmen soyā gannā lada mālaya (kristu pūrva 450), mātalē distrikkaya
2) tissa mahārāmayē nāgarika goḍællen soyāgat pabaḷu, hambantoṭa distrikkaya

Transcription:

mahamya bava saha saundarya: anayanaya kala pabalu — viduru saha ardha manik adi vividha madhyavalin nimavana lada anayanaya kala pabalu shri lankaven hamuvana puravastu atara pradhana tanak ganna ek vargayaki. samahara vita ese anayanaya kala paranitama nidarshanaya viya hakke madhyama palate ibbankatuva nam game pihiti mahashila susanabhumiya kanimen soya gat pabalu ekatuvayi. eyata anayanaya kala kaniliyan saha oniks yana ardha manik valin kala pabalu da agasti saha matiyen kala deshiya pabaluda ayat vi tibini. ibbankatuva susanabhumiya kristu purva 450ta ayat bava vikiranashili kramayen mana bala tibe. kaniliyan meratata anayanaya karannata atte indiyanu upamahadvipayata ayat dekan pradeshayen viya yutuya.

shri lankaven soya gena tibena bohomayak anayanaya kala viduru pabalu indu-pasifik viduru pabalu namin handinvena ekatmika takshana sampradayakin anubhava laba tibe. indu - pasifik yana padayen hangavenne ghanave sita chinaya dakvat maladivayine sita bali divayina dakvat dakunu aprikave sita dakunu koriyava dakvat patiri giya ekavarna pabalu karmantayaki. madhyadharani pradeshayen anayanaya karana lada nil pahati viduru pabalu saha taḅa lohayen nimavana lada khandita pabalu shri lankaven hamu vi tibena mahamya vut saundaryayen agatan vut nidarshanayi.

1) ibbankatuve maha shila susana bhumiya kanimen soya ganna lada malaya (kristu purva 450), matale distrikkaya
2) tissa maharamaye nagarika godallen soyagat pabalu, hambantota distrikkaya

Automated translation (not verified):

Magnificence and Beauty: Imported Beads — Imported beads made of various media such as glass and semi-precious stones are one of the main types of antiques found in Sri Lanka. Perhaps the earliest example of such importation is the collection of beads excavated from the Mahashila burial ground in the village of Ibbankatua in the Central Province. It included imported carnelian and onyx semi-precious beads and local beads made of agate and clay. The Ibbankatua cemetery has been radiologically dated to 450 BC. Carnelians must have been imported to this country from the Deccan region of the Indian subcontinent.

Most of the imported glass beads found in Sri Lanka are inspired by an integrated technological tradition known as Indo-Pacific glass beads. The term Indo-Pacific refers to a monochromatic bead industry that stretches from Ghana to China, from the Maldives to Bali, and from South Africa to South Korea. Blue glass beads imported from the Mediterranean and fragmentary beads made of copper metal are some of the grandest and most beautiful examples found in Sri Lanka.

1) Necklace excavated from the Great Stone Cemetery of Ibbankatua (450 BC), Matale District
2) Beads found in the urban mound of Tissa Maharama, Hambantota District

Tamil text (not proofread):

கௌரவமும் அழகும்: இறக்குமதி செய்த முத்து — கண்ணாடி மற்றும் அரைவாசி மாணிக்கக்கற்களால் செய்த வெளி நாடுகளிலிருந்து வந்தடைத்த முத்துக்கள் இலங்கையில் கிடைக்கும் ஒரு புராதன பொருளாகும். அனுராதபுரம் உள்ளிட்ட நகரங்களை அகழ்வு செய்ததும் மத்திய மாகாணத்தின் இப்பன்கட்டுவ என்ற கிராமத்தில் அமைந்துள்ள மஹாஷிலா மயானத்தை தோண்டியதில் கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்ட முத்துக்களை இதற்கு சான்றாக கூறலாம். இறக்குமதி செய்த கானீலியன், ஒனிக்ஸ் ஆகிய கற்களால் செய்யப்பட்ட முத்துக்களும், அகஸ்தி மற்றும் களிமண்ணால் செய்த உள்ளுர் முத்துக்களும் இதில் அடங்குகின்றன. இப்பன்கட்டுவ மயானம் கி.மு 450 ஆண்டுக்கு சொந்தமானதென ரேடியோமெற்றிக் ரீதியால் கண்டறியப்பட்டுள்ளது. இந்தியாவின் டெகான் பிரதேசத்திலிருந்து அல்லது இந்திய உபகண்டத்தில் குஜராத் இருந்து கானிலியன் முத்துக்களை இலங்கைக்கு கொண்டுவரப்பட்டது ஏன கூறலாம்.

இலங்கையில் கண்டெடுக்கப்பட்டவைகள் பெரும்பாலானவை இறக்குமதி செய்யப்பட்ட கண்ணாடி முத்துக்களாகும். இந்து-பஸிபிக் கண்ணாடி முத்து என்று அழைக்கப்படும் ஒரு மரபைச் சேர்ந்த இலங்கையில் கண்டுபிடிக்கப்பட்ட முத்துக்களின் பெரும்பாலானவை இந்து - பஸிபிக் கண்ணாடி முத்துக்கள் என்னும் ஒரு தனிப்பட்ட தொழில்நுட்ப ரீதியைச் சார்ந்தது. இந்து பஸிபிக் மரபு என்பதால் காணா இருந்து சீனா வரையும், மாலி இருந்து பாலி வரையும் தென் ஆப்பிரிக்கா விலிருந்து தெற்குக் கொரியா வரையும் பரவி போன ஒரு தனிநிர முத்து விசேசத்தைப் பற்றி கூறப்படும். இலங்கையில் கண்டு பிடிக்கப்பட்ட தரத்தில் உயர்ந்த முத்துக்களாக மத்திய தரைபிரதேசத்திலிருந்து இறக்குமதி செய்யப்பட்ட நீலநிரக் கண்ணா

1) இப்பங்கட்டுவ மகாஷிலா மயானத்திலிருந்து தோண்டி எடுக்கப்பட்ட மாலை, மாத்தளை மாவட்டம். (450 டீஊநு)
2) திஸ்ஸமகாராமயில் உள்ள புராதன நாகரிக மண்மேட்டில்இருந்து கிடைக்கப்பட்ட பவளங்கள், ஹம்பாந்தொட்ட மாவட்டம்

Transcription:

kauravamum aḻakum: iṟakkumati ceyta muttu — kaṇṇāṭi maṟṟum araivāci māṇikkakkaṟkaḷāl ceyta veḷi nāṭukaḷiliruntu vantaṭaitta muttukkaḷ ilaṅkaiyil kiṭaikkum oru purātaṉa poruḷākum. aṉurātapuram uḷḷiṭṭa nakaraṅkaḷai akaḻvu ceytatum mattiya mākāṇattiṉ ippaṉkaṭṭuva eṉṟa kirāmattil amaintuḷḷa mahāṣilā mayāṉattai tōṇṭiyatil kaṇṭeṭukkappaṭṭa muttukkaḷai itaṟku cāṉṟāka kūṟalām. iṟakkumati ceyta kāṉīliyaṉ, oṉiks ākiya kaṟkaḷāl ceyyappaṭṭa muttukkaḷum, akasti maṟṟum kaḷimaṇṇāl ceyta uḷḷur muttukkaḷum itil aṭaṅkukiṉṟaṉa. ippaṉkaṭṭuva mayāṉam ki.mu 450 āṇṭukku contamāṉateṉa rēṭiyōmeṟṟik rītiyāl kaṇṭaṟiyappaṭṭuḷḷatu. intiyāviṉ ṭekāṉ piratēcattiliruntu allatu intiya upakaṇṭattil kujarāt iruntu kāṉiliyaṉ muttukkaḷai ilaṅkaikku koṇṭuvarappaṭṭatu ēṉa kūṟalām.

ilaṅkaiyil kaṇṭeṭukkappaṭṭavaikaḷ perumpālāṉavai iṟakkumati ceyyappaṭṭa kaṇṇāṭi muttukkaḷākum. intu-pasipik kaṇṇāṭi muttu eṉṟu aḻaikkappaṭum oru marapaic cērnta ilaṅkaiyil kaṇṭupiṭikkappaṭṭa muttukkaḷiṉ perumpālāṉavai intu - pasipik kaṇṇāṭi muttukkaḷ eṉṉum oru taṉippaṭṭa toḻilnuṭpa rītiyaic cārntatu. intu pasipik marapu eṉpatāl kāṇā iruntu cīṉā varaiyum, māli iruntu pāli varaiyum teṉ āppirikkā viliruntu teṟkuk koriyā varaiyum paravi pōṉa oru taṉinira muttu vicēcattaip paṟṟi kūṟappaṭum. ilaṅkaiyil kaṇṭu piṭikkappaṭṭa tarattil uyarnta muttukkaḷāka mattiya taraipiratēcattiliruntu iṟakkumati ceyyappaṭṭa nīlanirak kaṇṇā

1) ippaṅkaṭṭuva makāṣilā mayāṉattiliruntu tōṇṭi eṭukkappaṭṭa mālai, māttaḷai māvaṭṭam. (450 ṭīūnu)
2) tissamakārāmayil uḷḷa purātaṉa nākarika maṇmēṭṭiliruntu kiṭaikkappaṭṭa pavaḷaṅkaḷ, hampāntoṭṭa māvaṭṭam

Transcription:

kauravamum azhagum: irakkumathi seytha muthu — kannadi marrum araivasi manikkakkarkalal seytha veli nadugalilirunthu vanthadaitha muthukkal ilangaiyil kidaikkum oru purathana porulagum. anurathapuram ullitta nagarangalai agazhvu seythathum mathiya maganathin ippankattuva enra kiramathil amainthulla mahashila mayanathai thondiyathil kandedukkappatta muthukkalai itharku sanraga kuralam. irakkumathi seytha kaniliyan, onigs agiya karkalal seyyappatta muthukkalum, agasthi marrum kalimannal seytha ullur muthukkalum ithil adanguginrana. ippankattuva mayanam ki.mu 450 andukku sonthamanathena rediyomerrig rithiyal kandariyappattullathu. inthiyavin degan pirathesathilirunthu allathu inthiya upagandathil kujarath irunthu kaniliyan muthukkalai ilangaikku konduvarappattathu ena kuralam.

ilangaiyil kandedukkappattavaigal perumbalanavai irakkumathi seyyappatta kannadi muthukkalagum. inthu-pasipig kannadi muthu enru azhaikkappadum oru marapais serntha ilangaiyil kandupidikkappatta muthukkalin perumbalanavai inthu - pasipig kannadi muthukkal ennum oru thanippatta thozhilnudpa rithiyais sarnthathu. inthu pasipig marapu enpathal kana irunthu sina varaiyum, mali irunthu pali varaiyum then appirikka vilirunthu therkug koriya varaiyum paravi pona oru thaninira muthu visesathaip parri kurappadum. ilangaiyil kandu pidikkappatta tharathil uyarntha muthukkalaga mathiya tharaipirathesathilirunthu irakkumathi seyyappatta nilanirag kanna

1) ippangattuva magashila mayanathilirunthu thondi edukkappatta malai, mathalai mavattam. (450 diunu)
2) thissamagaramayil ulla purathana nagariga manmettilirunthu kidaikkappatta pavalangal, hambanthotta mavattam

Automated translation (not verified):

Prestige and beauty: Imported pearls — Imported pearls made of glass and semi-ruby are an ancient commodity found in Sri Lanka. Excavation of cities including Anuradhapura and the pearls found in the excavation of the Mahashila tomb located in the village of Ipankattuwa in the Central Province can be said to be proof of this. These include pearls made from imported carnelian and onyx stones, and local pearls made from agate and clay. This Pankattuva cemetery has been radiometrically dated to 450 BC. Caniel pearls are said to have been brought to Sri Lanka from the Deccan region of India or from Gujarat in the Indian subcontinent.

Most of those found in Sri Lanka are imported glass beads. Most of the pearls found in Sri Lanka belong to a tradition known as Indo-Pacific glass pearls and belong to a unique technique called Indo-Pacific glass pearls. Being of Hindu Pacific heritage, a unique pearl specialty is said to have spread from Ghana to China, from Mali to Bali and from South Africa to South Korea. The highest quality pearls found in Sri Lanka are blue sapphires imported from the Mediterranean

1) Mala excavated from Ippangattuwa Mahashila Cemetery, Matale District. (450 teun)
2) Corals recovered from an ancient civilization mound at Tissamakaram, Hambantota District

Gallery information:

These photos were taken at the Maritime Museum in Galle (Sri Lanka) which include objects recovered from the 2nd century B.C. Godawaya shipwreck. The Maritime Museum is housed in Galle's historic Dutch warehouse (built in 1671) and opened its doors on May 9, 1992. The Maritime Archaeology Museum is serving as a centre of education for various groups of visitors and researchers of Southern region of Sri Lanka.