Traditional Technology and Art of Ancient Sri Lanka

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering ancient Sri Lankan traditional water technology, hydraulic structures, pottery, metallurgy, architecture, and art.

Traditional Technology

Locally developed technologies passed down through generations to resolve day-to-day practical challenges, uniquely suited to the domestic environment and culture of Sri Lanka.

Gam Wev (Village Tanks)

Small-scale reservoirs constructed across minor streams or natural depressions by families or village communities under the guidance of village headmen to retain rainwater for cultivation.

Abhaya Vapi

One of three ancient reservoirs built in Anuradhapura during the reign of King Pandukabhaya, identified historically with the modern Basawakkulama Wewa.

King Vasabha

The Anuradhapura ruler ($65\text{--}109\text{ CE}$) regarded as the pioneer of large reservoir construction, credited in chronicle accounts with building $11$ major tanks (such as Mayetti and Manikviti) and $12$ irrigation canals.

King Mahasen

The monarch ($276\text{--}303\text{ CE}$) credited in the Mahavamsa with constructing $16$ large tanks, including Minneriya (Maniheera), Jalluravapi (Hurulu Wewa), and Khanu Vapi (Mahakanadarawa), earning him veneration as 'Minneriya Deviyo'.

King Dhatusena

The ruler ($459\text{--}477\text{ CE}$) credited with constructing $18$ reservoirs, most notably Kala Wewa across the Kala Oya, as well as the trans-basin canal Jaya Ganga.

Parakrama Samudra

A colossal irrigation reservoir in Polonnaruwa constructed by King Parakramabahu I, featuring an embankment $8\frac{1}{2}\text{ miles}$ long, a height of $40\text{ feet}$, and submerging $5300\text{ acres}$ of land.

Bisokotuwa (Cistern Sluice / Valve Pit)

An indigenous rectangular stone-lined shaft built inside the reservoir near the embankment containing an adjustable vertical gate/valve to regulate water pressure before discharging water safely into the conduit.

Mada Sorowwa (Mud Sluice)

A low-level sluice installed at the lowest floor level of a reservoir to evacuate accumulated silt and mud, as well as to completely drain water down into the valley when needed.

Goda Sorowwa (High Sluice)

An upper-level sluice constructed at a higher level than the mud sluice to issue clear, surface-level irrigation water to the canal systems.

Ralapanawa

A protective revetment of pitched stones laid along the inner water-facing slope of a tank embankment to prevent erosion caused by the continuous impact of wind-generated waves.

Pitawana (Spillway)

A fortified overflow weir constructed to safely discharge surplus floodwater away from the reservoir embankment and cultivated fields into an adjoining canal or natural stream.

Athulwana

An inlet channel structure equipped with a small sedimentation pit built at the point where water enters a reservoir to trap and remove silt and debris.

Thekkam Anicut

An ancient stone diversion weir constructed on bedrock across the Malwathu Oya near the Vavuniya-Mannar junction, which conveys water along a $17\text{-mile}$ feeder canal to Yoda Wewa (Giant's Tank).

Jaya Ganga (Yoda Ela)

A $54\text{-mile}$ trans-basin canal up to $40\text{ feet}$ wide built under King Dhatusena to convey water from Kala Wewa to Tissa Wewa, exhibiting a gradient of only $1\text{ inch per mile}$ over its initial $17\text{ miles}$.

Alahara Canal

An ancient trans-basin canal built by King Vasabha across the Amban Ganga, spanning approximately $30\text{ miles}$ to transport water northward.

Abhayagiri Rainwater Drainage System

An engineered drainage network where rainwater cascading down the Abhayagiri Stupa dome was captured on stone-paved terraces (Salapatala Maluwa) and channeled via spouts, sand terraces, and subterranean stone conduits into four surrounding ponds.

Kuttam Pokuna (Twin Ponds)

A pair of stone-lined ponds at Anuradhapura designed for bathing and water consumption by the Abhayagiri fraternity, featuring an external filtration basin with six filtering stone slabs to remove sediment.

Ranmasu Uyana

An ancient royal pleasure garden situated along the slope of the Tissa Wewa embankment between Isurumuniya and Mirisawetiya, featuring pavilions, open-air resting couches, stone ponds, and a regulated gravity-fed piping system.

Sigiriya Water Garden

A symmetrically planned 5th-century pleasure garden west of Sigiriya rock containing pavilions, pools, and working gravity-fed fountains operated via natural hydrostatic pressure through perforated circular limestone plates.

Sakaporuwa

The circular rotatable wooden potter's wheel that transformed ancient ceramics by allowing artisans to shape symmetrical, uniform vessels of diverse forms and dimensions.

Ulu Waduwan

The historical specialized guild of craftsmen in the Rajarata civilization dedicated to manufacturing terracotta roof tiles and architectural bricks.

Kabara, Tambara, and Topasa

Specialized occupational designations recorded in ancient cave inscriptions identifying blacksmiths (ironworkers), coppersmiths, and tin or lead artisans respectively.

Swarna Thalaka Pinda

Five ancient molded gold ingots weighing between $370\text{ g}$ and $438\text{ g}$ discovered during excavations at an Abhayagiri monastery pond, bearing their specific weights inscribed in ancient 'kalan' units.

Samanalawewa Wind-Powered Furnaces

Indigenous iron-smelting furnaces located in Balangoda engineered to harness seasonal monsoon winds to sustain the intense, uninterrupted heat necessary for smelting iron ore without manual bellows.

Vatadage (Chethiyaghara)

A circular Buddhist architectural pavilion composed of concentric rings of sculpted stone pillars supporting a conical timber roof, erected to shelter and protect a small stupa.

Bodhighara

An open-centered structural house or enclosure built around a sacred Bodhi tree to safeguard the tree and accommodate worship, with the most artistic surviving example at Nillakgama.

Gandhakuti Tradition

The earliest tradition of Buddhist image houses comprising an inner sanctum chamber (Garbha Griha) containing the Buddha statue and an attached front hall or pavilion (Mandapaya) for devotees.

Gedige Tradition

An advanced vaulted image-house architectural tradition where both the load-bearing exterior walls and the domed roof are constructed entirely of thick brick and stone masonry without timber.

Shiva Devale No. 2

A completely preserved Hindu stone shrine built in Polonnaruwa during the Chola occupation, executed entirely according to classical South Indian Dravidian stone temple architecture.

Vaijayanta Prasada

The seven-story royal palace of King Parakramabahu I located within the inner citadel of Polonnaruwa, of which the structural brick ruins of the lowest three floors and access staircases remain.

Beheth Oru (Medicinal Troughs)

Monolithic stone tubs sculpted to human body contours discovered at ancient hospital sites (Arogyashala) like Mihintale, Medirigiriya, and Alahana Pirivena to administer herbal immersion therapy.

Perahan Mutti (Filtration Pots)

Series of perforated clay vessels stacked vertically beneath ancient latrine slabs containing porous filtering media to purify effluent before allowing it to absorb into the earth.

Sandakada Pahana (Moonstone)

A carved semi-circular threshold stone set at the base of entry staircases, featuring concentric carved arcs depicting a central lotus, trailing foliage, swans with lotus buds, animal friezes, and flame patterns.

Sigiriya Frescoes

Fifth-century wall paintings executed on the western cliff face of Sigiriya depicting graceful noblewomen carrying lotuses and water lilies, painted predominantly in yellow, red, ochre, and blue-green mineral pigments.