eLibrary: Anuradhapura Kingdom
Discover Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka’s first great capital and a centre of Buddhist devotion, royal power, and hydraulic innovation. This exhibition explores over a thousand years of cultural achievement—through monumental stupas, moonstones, and trade-linked artefacts—revealing how religion, technology, and global connections shaped an enduring legacy across the island and beyond.
This is the latest version of an electronic library of resources supporting the exhibition. It offers free and immediate access to online resources for anyone wanting to explore further the context of the museum’s artifacts. As the museum develops, more resources, in more languages, will be added.
NOTE: Some of these links come from Academia.edu and Researchgate.net. These require a free one-time registration. To research further yourselves, you may consider registering with Jstore.org which gives limited but free monthly access to its collections
Articles
Abeywardana, N., Pitawala, H.M.T.G.A., Schütt, B. and Bebermeier, W., 2019. Evolution of the dry zone water harvesting and management systems in Sri Lanka during the Anuradhapura Kingdom; a study based on ancient chronicles and lithic inscriptions. Water History, 11(1), pp.75-103.
Abeywardana, N., Bebermeier, W. and Schütt, B., 2017. The hinterland of ancient Anuradhapura: Remarks about an ancient cultural landscape. Journal of World Heritage Studies, Special Issue, pp.47-54.
Coningham, R., e.a., 2007. The state of theocracy: defining an early medieval hinterland in Sri Lanka. antiquity, 81(313), pp.699-719.
Coningham, R.,e.a. 2006. The Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka) project: the hinterland (phase II), preliminary report of the first season 2005. South Asian Studies, 22(1), pp.53-64.
Coningham, R.A., Allchin, F.R., Batt, C.M. and Lucy, D.J.C.A.J., 1996. Passage to India? Anuradhapura and the early use of the Brahmi script. Cambridge Archaeological Journal, 6(1), pp.73-97.
De Silva, W.A.S.A.N.A., 2018. Urban agriculture and sacred landscape: Anuradhapura Sacred City, Sri Lanka. WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 217, pp.941-952.
Dewaraja, L., 1987. Cultural relations between Sri Lanka and North India during the Anuradhapura period.
Dissanayake, R., 2024. A Research on Mahāyana Influence on Teravāda Tradition in Anuradhapura Kingdom.
Diwakara, A.I., A Study about the cognomens that were adopted by the kings during Anuradhapura Era.
Fujimoto, T. and Ekuni, F., 2006. An Overview of Sri Lankan History (I). 福岡大学経済学論叢, 51(1-2), pp.37-52.
Gamlath, K.S.K., 2014. Success and failures of kingship and government in ancient politics in Sri Lanka. Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences (AJHSS), 2(4), pp.77-102.
Karunananda, U.B., 1993. The Administration of the Atamasthana at Anuradhapura.
Madhumali, A.K.R. and Buddikasiri, P.R.A., 2019. Brief Introduction to Ancient Relationship Between Sri Lanka and India (10th Century BC to 10th Century AD): Evidence from Sri Lanka. Heritage: Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies in Archaeology, 7, pp.571-580.
Mihindukulasuriya, P., 2011. Persian Christians of the Anuradhapura Period. A Cultured Faith: Essays in Honour of Prof. GPV Somaratna on His Seventieth Birthday.
Pabasara, H.K., 2023.An Inquisitorial Examination of Public Policies Enacted for Ancient Social Welfare (from The Anuradhapura Kingdom). Proceeding of the Open University Research Sessions
Pathmanathan, S., 1982. The cities of medieval Sri Lanka (AD 1000-1250): centres of dynastic power, religious authority—and commercial activity.
Ranaweera, R.A.A.S. and Ranasinghe, P., 2014. Libraries in Sri Lanka in the ancient Anuradhapura Period: a historical account (250 BC–1017 AD). Journal of the University Librarians Association of Sri Lanka, 17(1).
Sasikaran, A., 2023. The Role of Brahmins in the Sinhalese Monarchy: A study based on the Kingdom of Anuradhapura, Proceedings of the 2nd National Research Symposium on Social Sciences and Humanities (
Siriweera, W.I., 1999. History of the Sacred Precincts of the Sri Maha Bodhi at Anuradhapura.
Strickland, K.M., 2011. The Jungle Tide: “Collapse” in Early Mediaeval Sri Lanka. PhD Thesis Durham
Sudharmawathie, J.M., 2017. Reappraisal of foreign relations in medieval Sri Lanka: With special reference to the reign of Bhuvanekabahu I (1272-1284 AD). Journal of Social Sciences, pp.1-16.
Wagalawatta, T., e,a,, 2017. Spatial distribution and functional relationship of local bedrock and stone constructions in the cultural landscape of ancient Anuradhapura (377 BCE–1017 CE), Sri Lanka. Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 13, pp.382-394.
Videos
The Sound of Khotanese Saka language (Utss) 1.56mins
The Unheard History Of The Khotan Kingdom! (Abhijit Chavda) 5.00mins
Khotan with Erika Forte (The Chinese Alphabet) 16.42mins
Khotan Oasis of Silk and Jade (MrGregjur) 48.49mins