Image title: Sri Lanka: Early exports

English text:

Early exports — Descriptions about the items exported from Sri Lanka were included in the records kept by the sailors and travelers of the ancient Indian Ocean. Earliest Asian reference of such items appeared in the Mahabharata. According to the text, the King of Tambapanni (Sri Lanka) despatched a tribute including high valued gem stones and pearls to his contemporary ruler in India, King Udhisthira. Among various literary references of western origin describing the products made of Sri Lanka and her exports, records by Onesicretus, Megasthenese and Erostethenese are notable. Gems, pearls and tuskers that were exported from Sri Lanka, were the most valued items in the Indian Ocean trade. Sri Lankan beryl and hyacinth have been regularly featured in the ancient foreign accounts. According to Ptolemy, Sri Lanka exported rice, ginger, honey and fruits. The Pattinappalai among the Tamil sangam poetry collection describes Sri Lankan food items that were available at the ports in South India. Sri Lankan cotton, metals and coir ropes were also reputed among the items circulated in the international trade.

A Relief of an elephant on board in ship depicted in Ambagaspitiya ambalama of Gampaha District (18th Century)

Sinhala text (not proofread):

පුරාණ කාලයේ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවෙන් අපනයනය කළ ද්‍රව්‍ය — පුරාණ කාලයේදී මෙරටින් අපනයනය කළ ද්‍රව්‍ය පිළිබඳ විස්තර ඉන්දීය සාගරයේ යාත්‍රා කළ නාවිකයින් සහ දේශාටකයින් විසින් තබන ලද වාර්තාවලට ඇතුලත්ව තිබේ. මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් වන පුරාණතම ආසියානු සඳහන දක්නට තිබෙන්නේ මහාභාරත කාව්‍යයේය. එහි එන යුධීෂ්මීර නම් රජුට තාම්‍රපර්ණියේ රජු විසින් විශිෂ්ටතම මැණික් සහ මුතු තෑගි කොට යැවූ බව කියැවේ. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ නිෂ්පාදිත සහ අපනයනය කළ දෑ පිළිබඳ තරමක විස්තරාත්මක තොරතුරු සඳහන් වන අපරදිග වාර්තා අතර ඔනෙසික්‍රිටස්, මෙගස්තිනීස්, එරස්ටොතිනීස් සහ ටොලම්ගේ ලියැවිලි කැපී පෙනෙයි. මෙරටින් අපනයනය කළ මැණික්, මුතු සහ ඇතුන් ඉන්දීය සාගර වෙළඳාමේ මුල් පෙළ ද්‍රව්‍යයන් විය. මෙරටින් අපනයනය කළ බෙරිල් සහ හයසින්ක් යන මැණික් වර්ග විදේශික වාර්තාවල සුලභව විස්තර වේ. ටොලමි සඳහන් කරන අන්දමට ඊට අමතරව සහල්, ඉඟුරු, පැණි සහ පළතුරු ද ඒ අතරට අයත්ව තිබිණි. දකුණු ඉන්දියාවේ සංගම් යුගයට අයත් පට්ටිනප්පලායි නම් වූ දෙමළ කාව්‍යයේ එහි වරායන්වලට ආයාත කළ ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ ආහාර ගැන මහත් අභිරුචියකින් සඳහන් කර තිබේ. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ කපු, ලෝහ, කොහු සහ කඹ ද එවක අන්තර්ජාතික වෙළඳාමේ සංසරණය වූ වෙළඳ භාණ්ඩ අතර වැදගත් තැනක් හිමි කොට ගෙන තිබිණි.

නැවක නැග සිටින අලියකු දැක්වෙන කැටයමක්, අඹගස්පිටිය අම්බලම, (ක්‍රිස්තු වර්ෂයෙන් 18 වන සියවස) ගම්පහ දිස්ත්‍රික්කය,

Transcription:

purāṇa kālayē śrī laṅkāven apanayanaya kaḷa dravya — purāṇa kālayēdī meraṭin apanayanaya kaḷa dravya piḷibanda vistara indīya sāgarayē yātrā kaḷa nāvikayin saha dēśāṭakayin visin tabana lada vārtāvalaṭa ætulatva tibē. mē sambandhayen vana purāṇatama āsiyānu sandahana daknaṭa tibennē mahābhārata kāvyayēya. ehi ena yudhīṣmīra nam rajuṭa tāmraparṇiyē raju visin viśiṣṭatama mæṇik saha mutu tǣgi koṭa yævū bava kiyævē. śrī laṅkāvē niṣpādita saha apanayanaya kaḷa dǣ piḷibanda taramaka vistarātmaka toraturu sandahan vana aparadiga vārtā atara onesikriṭas, megastinīs, erasṭotinīs saha ṭolamgē liyævili kæpī peneyi. meraṭin apanayanaya kaḷa mæṇik, mutu saha ætun indīya sāgara veḷandāmē mul peḷa dravyayan viya. meraṭin apanayanaya kaḷa beril saha hayasink yana mæṇik varga vidēśika vārtāvala sulabhava vistara vē. ṭolami sandahan karana andamaṭa īṭa amatarava sahal, iṅguru, pæṇi saha paḷaturu da ē ataraṭa ayatva tibiṇi. dakuṇu indiyāvē saṅgam yugayaṭa ayat paṭṭinappalāyi nam vū demaḷa kāvyayē ehi varāyanvalaṭa āyāta kaḷa śrī laṅkāvē āhāra gæna mahat abhiruchiyakin sandahan kara tibē. śrī laṅkāvē kapu, lōha, kohu saha kaḅa da evaka antarjātika veḷandāmē saṅsaraṇaya vū veḷanda bhāṇḍa atara vædagat tænak himi koṭa gena tibiṇi.

nævaka næga siṭina aliyaku dækvena kæṭayamak, aḅagaspiṭiya ambalama, (kristu varṣayen 18 vana siyavasa) gampaha distrikkaya,

Transcription:

purana kalaye shri lankaven apanayanaya kala dravya — purana kalayedi meratin apanayanaya kala dravya pilibanda vistara indiya sagaraye yatra kala navikayin saha deshatakayin visin tabana lada vartavalata atulatva tibe. me sambandhayen vana puranatama asiyanu sandahana daknata tibenne mahabharata kavyayeya. ehi ena yudhishmira nam rajuta tamraparniye raju visin vishishtatama manik saha mutu tagi kota yavu bava kiyave. shri lankave nishpadita saha apanayanaya kala da pilibanda taramaka vistaratmaka toraturu sandahan vana aparadiga varta atara onesikritas, megastinis, erastotinis saha tolamge liyavili kapi peneyi. meratin apanayanaya kala manik, mutu saha atun indiya sagara velandame mul pela dravyayan viya. meratin apanayanaya kala beril saha hayasink yana manik varga videshika vartavala sulabhava vistara ve. tolami sandahan karana andamata ita amatarava sahal, inguru, pani saha palaturu da e atarata ayatva tibini. dakunu indiyave sangam yugayata ayat pattinappalayi nam vu demala kavyaye ehi varayanvalata ayata kala shri lankave ahara gana mahat abhiruchiyakin sandahan kara tibe. shri lankave kapu, loha, kohu saha kaḅa da evaka antarjatika velandame sansaranaya vu velanda bhanda atara vadagat tanak himi kota gena tibini.

navaka naga sitina aliyaku dakvena katayamak, aḅagaspitiya ambalama, (kristu varshayen 18 vana siyavasa) gampaha distrikkaya,

Automated translation (not verified):

Details of the materials exported from Sri Lanka in ancient times are included in the records left by sailors and explorers who sailed in the Indian Ocean. The earliest Asian reference to this is found in the Mahabharata. It is said that King Yudhishmira who was coming there was gifted with the finest gems and pearls by the King of Tamraparniya. The writings of Onesicritus, Megasthenes, Erastothenes and Ptolemy stand out among the Western accounts that provide fairly detailed information about Sri Lankan manufactures and exports. Gems, pearls and elephants exported from the country were the main items of Indian sea trade. Beryl and Hyacinque gems exported from this country are frequently described in foreign reports. According to Ptolemy, rice, ginger, honey and fruit were also among them. The Tamil poem Pattinappalai, which belongs to the Sangam period of South India, mentions with great fondness the food of Sri Lanka imported to its ports. Sri Lankan cotton, metal, coir and rope also occupied an important place among the commodities circulated in the international trade at that time.

Tamil text (not proofread):

புரான யுகத்தில் இலங்கையிலிருந்து ஏற்றுமதி செய்தப் பொருற்கள் — புராதன யுகத்தில் இலங்கையிலிருந்து ஏற்றுமதி செய்யப்பட்டப் பொருட்கள் பற்றிய தகவல்கள் இந்து சமுத்திரத்தில் பயணம் செய்த யாத்திரிகளின் ஞாபகக்குறிகளில் உள்ளன. இதை சம்பந்தமான ஆகப் புராதன சான்றை மகா பாரதத்தில் அடங்கியுள்ளது. அதில் அரசன் யுதிஷ்திரரிடம் இலங்கை மன்னர் பெருமதி மிக்க மாணிக்கக்கற்களும் முத்துக்களும் அனுப்பினதாகத் தகவல் கிடைக்கிறது. இலங்கையில் உற்பத்தி செய்து ஏற்றுமதி செய்யப்பட்டவை சம்பந்தமான அளவான தகவல்கள் அடங்கியுள்ள குறிப்புகள் இடையில் ஓனெஸிகிரீடஸ், மெகஸ்தினீஸ், எரஸ்ரொதினீஸ் மற்றும் ரொலமியால் எழுதப்பட்டவை முக்கியமானவையாகும். இந்து சமுத்திர வர்த்தகத்தில், இந்நாட்டில் இருந்து ஏற்றுமதி செய்யப்பட்ட மாணிக்கக்கற்கள், முத்து மற்றும் யானைகள் முக்கியமான சாமான்களாக திகழ்ந்தன. வெளிநாட்டவர்களின் குறிப்புகளில் இங்கு இருந்து ஏற்றுமதி செய்யும் பெரில், ஹயசிந்த் என்ற மாணிக்க வகைகள் பற்றி தகவல் அதிகளவில் அடங்கியுள்ளன. அதற்கு மேலாக அறிஸி, இஞ்சி, தேன், மற்றும் பழவகைகளும் அதில் அடங்கியுள்ளதாக ரொலமியின் குறிகளில் எழுதியிருக்கின்றது. தென் இந்திய சங்கம் யுகத்தின் எழுதிய "பற்றினப்பலை” என்னும் காவியத்தில் அங்குள்ள துறைமுகங்களுக்கு வந்து சேர்ந்த இலங்கை உணவு வகைகள் பற்றி மிக ஆவலுடன் வர்ணித்துள்ளன. அக்காலகட்டத்தில் சர்வதேச வர்த்தகத்தில் முக்கிய இடத்தைப் பெற்ற சாமான்களிடையில் உலோகங்கள், பஞ்சு, கயிறுகள், ஆகியவற்றையும் அடங்கியுள்ளன.

கப்பல் ஏறி நிற்கும் ஆனை கம்பகா மாவட்டத்தில் அம்பகஸ்பிட்டிய அம்பலத்தில் உள்ள ஒரு சிற்ப வேலை. (ஊநு 18ம் நூற்றாண்டு)

Transcription:

purāṉa yukattil ilaṅkaiyiliruntu ēṟṟumati ceytap poruṟkaḷ — purātaṉa yukattil ilaṅkaiyiliruntu ēṟṟumati ceyyappaṭṭap poruṭkaḷ paṟṟiya takavalkaḷ intu camuttirattil payaṇam ceyta yāttirikaḷiṉ ñāpakakkuṟikaḷil uḷḷaṉa. itai campantamāṉa ākap purātaṉa cāṉṟai makā pāratattil aṭaṅkiyuḷḷatu. atil aracaṉ yutiṣtirariṭam ilaṅkai maṉṉar perumati mikka māṇikkakkaṟkaḷum muttukkaḷum aṉuppiṉatākat takaval kiṭaikkiṟatu. ilaṅkaiyil uṟpatti ceytu ēṟṟumati ceyyappaṭṭavai campantamāṉa aḷavāṉa takavalkaḷ aṭaṅkiyuḷḷa kuṟippukaḷ iṭaiyil ōṉesikirīṭas, mekastiṉīs, erasrotiṉīs maṟṟum rolamiyāl eḻutappaṭṭavai mukkiyamāṉavaiyākum. intu camuttira varttakattil, innāṭṭil iruntu ēṟṟumati ceyyappaṭṭa māṇikkakkaṟkaḷ, muttu maṟṟum yāṉaikaḷ mukkiyamāṉa cāmāṉkaḷāka tikaḻntaṉa. veḷināṭṭavarkaḷiṉ kuṟippukaḷil iṅku iruntu ēṟṟumati ceyyum peril, hayacint eṉṟa māṇikka vakaikaḷ paṟṟi takaval atikaḷavil aṭaṅkiyuḷḷaṉa. ataṟku mēlāka aṟisi, iñci, tēṉ, maṟṟum paḻavakaikaḷum atil aṭaṅkiyuḷḷatāka rolamiyiṉ kuṟikaḷil eḻutiyirukkiṉṟatu. teṉ intiya caṅkam yukattiṉ eḻutiya "paṟṟiṉappalai” eṉṉum kāviyattil aṅkuḷḷa tuṟaimukaṅkaḷukku vantu cērnta ilaṅkai uṇavu vakaikaḷ paṟṟi mika āvaluṭaṉ varṇittuḷḷaṉa. akkālakaṭṭattil carvatēca varttakattil mukkiya iṭattaip peṟṟa cāmāṉkaḷiṭaiyil ulōkaṅkaḷ, pañcu, kayiṟukaḷ, ākiyavaṟṟaiyum aṭaṅkiyuḷḷaṉa.

kappal ēṟi niṟkum āṉai kampakā māvaṭṭattil ampakaspiṭṭiya ampalattil uḷḷa oru ciṟpa vēlai. (ūnu 18m nūṟṟāṇṭu)

Transcription:

purana yugathil ilangaiyilirunthu errumathi seythap porurkal — purathana yugathil ilangaiyilirunthu errumathi seyyappattap porudkal parriya thagavalkal inthu samuthirathil payanam seytha yathirigalin gnapagakkurigalil ullana. ithai sambanthamana agap purathana sanrai maga parathathil adangiyullathu. athil arasan yuthishthiraridam ilangai mannar perumathi mikka manikkakkarkalum muthukkalum anuppinathagath thagaval kidaikkirathu. ilangaiyil urpathi seythu errumathi seyyappattavai sambanthamana alavana thagavalkal adangiyulla kurippugal idaiyil onesigiridas, megasthinis, erasrothinis marrum rolamiyal ezhuthappattavai mukkiyamanavaiyagum. inthu samuthira varthagathil, innattil irunthu errumathi seyyappatta manikkakkarkal, muthu marrum yanaigal mukkiyamana samankalaga thigazhnthana. velinattavarkalin kurippugalil ingu irunthu errumathi seyyum peril, hayasinth enra manikka vagaigal parri thagaval athigalavil adangiyullana. atharku melaga arisi, inchi, then, marrum pazhavagaigalum athil adangiyullathaga rolamiyin kurigalil ezhuthiyirukkinrathu. then inthiya sangam yugathin ezhuthiya "parrinappalai” ennum kaviyathil angulla thuraimugangalukku vanthu serntha ilangai unavu vagaigal parri miga avaludan varnithullana. akkalagattathil sarvathesa varthagathil mukkiya idathaip perra samankalidaiyil ulogangal, panchu, kayirugal, agiyavarraiyum adangiyullana.

kappal eri nirkum anai kambaga mavattathil ambagaspittiya ambalathil ulla oru sirpa velai. (unu 18m nurrandu)

Automated translation (not verified):

Information about the exports from Sri Lanka in the ancient age is found in the memorials of pilgrims who traveled across the Indus Ocean. An ancient evidence related to this is contained in the Mahabharata. There is information that the King of Sri Lanka sent valuable rubies and pearls to King Yudhishthira. Important among them are those written by Onesigretus, Megasthenes, Erasrothenes and Rolamy, which contain extensive information on Sri Lankan manufactures and exports. In the Indus sea trade, rubies, pearls and elephants were important commodities exported from this country. Foreigners' notes contain a lot of information about the types of gems exported from here namely beryl and hyacinth. In addition to that, rice, ginger, honey, and fruits are also included in Rolami's notes. In the epic of the South Indian Sangam Yugam, "Bhetpinapalai", the Sri Lankan cuisine that arrived at the ports has been described very enthusiastically. Metals, cotton, and ropes were among the goods that gained prominence in international trade at that time.

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.