A Study on Ivory Craftsmanship in Ancient Sri Lanka: with Special Reference to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods

Abstract

Sri Lanka is famous for elephants from the ancient period and ivory craftsmanship was also famous in Sri Lanka from the ancient period. Ivory craftsmanship in Sri Lanka has significances from historical, cultural, political and economic aspects. The highpoint of Ivory craftsmanship was the period of Kotte. But according to the literary sources it can be concluded that ivory craftsmanship was conducted since Anuradhapura Period and at that period Buddha statues were created from ivory. Hence, the main objective of this research is to expound the ivory craftsmanship in ancient Sri Lanka with special reference to Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods through the collected data from literature survey method. Therefore, both primary and secondary literary sources were used to collect data. Thus, apart from the main objective this research will explicate about the royal patronage given to the ivory craftsmanship in ancient Sri Lanka. Literary sources reveal the ancient Ivory craftsmanship and the objects created from ivory craftsmanship in ancient Sri Lanka