Ancient Ruhuna

This is the first volume of Studies on the Archaeology of the Ancient Kingdom of Ruhuna in the South of Sri Lanka. At first, the archaeological fieldwork focused on the citadel of Mahagama, the Tissamaharama of today. Right at the beginning there was a need to investigate one of the harbours of Ruhuna. The University of Bonn joined the programme and together with the Archeological Department started excavations at the monastery, port and settlement area of Godavaya and the nearby monastery of Ambalantota. Sri Lanka was a turn table on the routes of seafaring merchants on the 'Silk Road of the Sea'. In ancient times ships from China, India, Persia, the Red Sea, and the Mediterranean could be seen on the shores and in the harbours of the island. This outstanding position in commerce of the Indian Ocean during the Early Historical Period is an obligation for any archaeological and historical investigation. The reports of scholars from different disciplines shed new light on the beginning of early cities on the island, on early technology, on long distance trade of the island's merchants, and on every day's life.
This volume is a vital step towards bringing the ancient southern kingdom of Sri Lanka into international prominence. It signifies the inauguration of modern archaeology in the Ruhuna.