History of Sri Lanka and Sinhalese
Main Sources of Information

The history of Sri Lanka section on this website is a result of four years research conducted by groups of people in Sri Lanka and in few other countries. We have referenced hundreds of documents, books, archives and conducted many interviews with experts of the history of Sri Lanka.

We also researched histories of other countries to find valuable information of the history of Sri Lanka and Sinhalese.

Below is a list of main books and documents that we have used to source information

17 Puranas - The very old documentation of the history of India.
Secret Report from Police Chief 1915 - National Archives - Sri Lanka
Memos to/from G.A.s & Governors - National Archives - Sri Lanka
Memoirs of Archaeological Surveys in Ceylon - AM Hocart
Archaeological Survey Reports - Annual Reports from 1901-1965 of the Ceylon Archaeological Dept
100 Days of Martial Law - Armand De Zousa
Rajavaliya - B.Gunesekara
The Island of Ceylon - Baldaeus
Asoka & His inscriptions - BM Barua
The Veddas - 1911 BZ Seligmann
Seats of Learning in Ancient India - C. Kuhan-Raja in 1941
An account of the Island of Ceylon - Capt. Robert Percival of the British Army in 1803
Cultural triangle of Sri Lanka - Central Cultural Fund of UNESCO
Historical Topography of Ancient Ceylon - CW Nicholas
Professions & Occupations in Sinhalese Kingdom - CW Nicholas
Sinhalese Irrigation until the 11th Century - CW Nicholas
Diary of John Doyley - Darma Sri Gunapala
Temporal & Spiritual Conquest of Ceylon - De Queroz
Sinhalayo - Dr.Senarath Paranvithana
Inscriptions of Ceylon - Dr.Senarath Paranavithana
History of Ceylon - Dr.Senarath Paranavithana, University of Colombo
Art of the ancient Sinhalese - Dr.Senarath Paranavithana
Stupa in Ceylon - Dr.Senarath Paranavithana
Village Communities of Ceylon - Dr.Senarath Paranavithana
Social Structure of the Sinhalese - Dr.T.Vimalananda
Laws of Sinhale - Dr.T.Vimalananda
Ancient Inscriptions of Ceylon-1881 - E.Muller
Sacred & Historical Books of Ancient Ceylon - Edward Upham
Commerce Between Romans & India - EH Warmington
Exploration of the East, Uva and Panama in 1914 - F. Lewis
Asea Portuguese - Farria v. Sousa
Ancient Ceylon - H Parker in 1906
Political History of Ancient India - H Raychaudri
Deepavansa-English Translation - H. Oldenberg
Social History of early Ceylon - H.Ellawala
Ancient Ceylon - H.Parker in 1911
Travels of Fa-Hsien - HA Giles
Defence by the Southern Buddhists - HC Norman in 1908
Dynastic History of India - HC Ray
Iban Batuta's travels in Asia - HR Gibb
The Taprobanians - Hugh Neville in 1885/86
Ancient Land Tenure & Revenue - HW Cordington in 1938
Eastern Kings - J Kennedy in 1918
Buddhist Religion as recorded by I-Tsang - J. Takakusu
Architectural Remains - J.G.Smith
Architectural Remains- 1894 - J.G.Smither
Buddhist Kingdoms - J.Legge, An Oxford Publication in 1886
A Description of Ceylon - James Cordiner in 1807
A Historical Account of Ceylon - JE Tennant in 1859
The Role of the NGOs - Jeremy Seabrook
Origin of Buddha Varsha in Ceylon - JF Fleet in 1909
Tooth Relic in Ceylon - JG Dachuna
An Account of the Interior of Ceylon - John Davey in 1921
Saxon Chronicles - John Earle
Buried Cities of Ceylon - Jones Bateman
Commercial & Political Connections between the Ancient India & West - LD Barnett
Sinhalese Monastic Architecture - Leiden
Alexander's track to the Indus - MA Stein
Eleven years in Ceylon - Major Forbes of the British Army in 1840
50 Years in Ceylon - Major Thomas Skinner of the British Army in 1891
An Advanced History of India - Majumdar, Raychauduri & Datta in 1946
Society in Medieval Ceylon - MB Ariyapala
Report of the Sinhala Commission- Part One in 1998 National Joint Committee to inquire into the injustices caused to the Sinhalese
Report of the Sinhala Commission- Part Two in 2001 National Joint Committee to inquire into the injustices caused to the Sinhalese
Pandyan Kingdom - Nilakanta Sastri in London 1925
History of South India - Nilakanta Sastri in Madras 1947
Culture & History of Tamils - Nilakanta Sastri in Madras 1964
History of South India - Nilakanti Sastri, Oxford University
Ceylon Inscriptions - P. Goldschmidt in 1876
Inscriptions of the NorthCentral Province - P. Goldschmidt in 1877
Everyday Life in Ancient India - P.Sengupta
Kingdom of Jaffnapatnam - PE Pieris
Brahmi Scripts from 400 BC to 800 AD - PEE Fernando
Chronology of Asoka Mauryan rule - PHL Eggermont
Ancient Hospital System in Lanka - PL Prematileka & A.Aluvihare
Ancient Anuradapura - Prof.Anuradha Seneviratne, Sri Lanka Archaeological Dept
Polonnaruwa-Medieval Capital - Prof.Anuradha Seneviratne, Sri Lanka Archaeological Dept
Springs of Sinhala civilisation - Prof.Anuradha Seneviratne
Dawn of a civilisation - Prof.Anuradha Seneviratne
Social Organisation in Buddha's times - R Fick
Socio-economic Organisation in India - R. Sarker, Uni. Of London
Ancient Irrigation Works - R.L.Brohier
Robe & Plough - RALH Gunawardana
Buddhist India - Rhys Davids
Historical Inscriptions in South India - Robert Sewell
Ptolemy's Ancient India - S. Majumdar
Buddhist Records of the Western World - S.Beal
Cultural Relations between China & Sri Lanka - S.G.M.Weerasingha
PreHistory of Sri Lanka - S.U.Deraniyagala
Travels of Fa-Hien - Samuel Beal
Buddhism in Ceylon under Christian Powers - T. Vimalananda
Yuan Tsangs travels in India - T.Watters in 1905
Records of the Chinese Monk Hiuen Tsang - Translated by S.Beal
Buddhist Sculptures in Ceylon - Ulrich Von Schroder
Golden Age of the Sculptures of Sri Lanka - Ulrich Von Schroder
Tamils 1800 years ago - V. Kanagasabhai
Oxford History of India - VA Smith in 1958
History of Tamil Language, Literature & Culture - Vaiyapuri Pillai in Madurai in 1954
An introduction to the Buddhist Philosophy of the State - Ven. Kamburupitiye Ariyasena Thero
History of Buddhism in Lanka - Ven.Walpola Rahula Thero
New Light of the Most Ancient East - VG Childe
History of Fine Art in India & Ceylon - Vincent Smith
Commerce of the Ancient Indian Ocean - W Vincent in 1807
Cholas - W. Hickey
Mahavansa- English translation - W.Geiger
Chulavamsa- volume 1 - W.Geiger
Chulavamsa- volume 2 - W.Geiger
Culture in Ceylon - W.Geiger
Deepavansa & Mahavansa & historical development in Ceylon - W.Geiger
History of the World - WN Weech