Home Region: Sri Lanka (South Asia)

Anurādhapura I

300 BCE 70 CE

D G SC R

New SEA sl_anuradhapura_1

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70 CE 428 CE Anurādhapura II (sl_anuradhapura_2) [continuity]

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General Description

“The city of Anuradhapura is located in the North-Central Province of Sri Lanka, a semi-arid zone situated in the island’s ‘Dry Zone’ characterized by low level plains, punctuated with low granitic outcrops. Human occupation in the region is almost entirely dependent upon large-scale irrigation works, first constructed in the third and fourth centuries BCE, and heavily restored in the early nineteenth century by colonial pioneers.” ^[1] “Anuradhapura (377 BCE–1017 CE) was the first Buddhist city in Sri Lanka, and the great architectural edifices in this city are invaluable sources to understand Buddhist sacred architecture and landscape. The city was nominated under the world heritage list in 1982. However, apart from the Buddhist architectural edifices, agriculture and irrigation landscape are significant, encircling the city and still functioning, since they emphasize the traditional land occupation. It is understood that agriculture and irrigation landscape play a vital role through- out the history in these sacred landscapes and settlements in Sri Lanka.” ^[2]

[1]: (Coningham et al. 2016, 35) Coningham, Robin et al. 2016. “Reconstructing Networks of Trade and Exchange in the Indian Ocean during the Early Historic Period: Case Studies from Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka)” in Imperial Rome, Indian Ocean Regions and Muziris: New Perspectives on Maritime Trade. Edited by K.S. Mathew. London: Routledge. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/collections/7F5SEVNA/items/REEBBEZZ/collection

[2]: (De Silva 2019, 163). De Silva, Wasana. 2019. ‘Urban agriculture and Buddhist concepts for wellbeing: Anuradhapura Sacred City, Sri Lanka’. International Journal of Design & Nature and Ecodynamics. Vol 14: 3. Pp 163-177. Seshat URL: https://www.zotero.org/groups/1051264/seshat_databank/collections/7F5SEVNA/items/JIJEFKG3/collection

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

1 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

1 Religious Tradition

1 Religion Family

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Administrative Level

Professions

Bureaucracy Characteristics

Law

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Irrigation System

1 Drinking Water Supply System

1 Utilitarian Public Building

1 Symbolic Building

Transport Infrastructure

Special-purpose Sites

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Non Phonetic Writing

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

Information / Money

Information / Postal System

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

Military use of Metals

Projectiles

Handheld weapons

Animals used in warfare

Armor

Naval technology

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions

31 Power Transition

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

General Variables

Identity and Location Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	44 N	300 BCE 70 CE
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Original Name	Anurādhapura I	300 BCE 70 CE
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Capital	Anurādhapura	300 BCE 70 CE
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Alternative Name	Anuradhagama	300 BCE 70 CE
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Temporal Bounds Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Duration	[300 BCE ➜ 70 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Succeeding Entity	Anurādhapura II	300 BCE 70 CE
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Succeeding Entity 70 CE 428 CE	Anurādhapura II (sl_anuradhapura_2) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	nominal	300 BCE 70 CE
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Language Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	300 BCE 70 CE
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Language	Sinhala	300 BCE 70 CE
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Religion Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religious Tradition	Buddhism	300 BCE 70 CE
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Religion Family	Theravada Buddhism	300 BCE 70 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Hierarchical Complexity Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	3	300 BCE 70 CE
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Administrative Level	4	300 BCE 70 CE
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Professions Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Bureaucracy Characteristics Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Law Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Specialized Buildings: polity owned Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Irrigation System	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Utilitarian Public Building	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Symbolic Building	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Special-purpose Sites Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Writing System Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Script	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Non Phonetic Writing	Absent	300 BCE 70 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Sacred Text	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Religious Literature	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Information / Money Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Postal System Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Information / Measurement System Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Military use of Metals Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Projectiles Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Handheld weapons Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Animals used in warfare Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Armor Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Naval technology Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Absent	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	300 BCE 70 CE
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Human Sacrifice Anurādhapura I (sl_anuradhapura_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More