Literature in Anuradhapura Period
Jetawana Stupa captured by the author This article intends to provide a brief exposition of the few literary works written during the Anuradhapura period, providing substantial information about the early history of literature in Sri Lanka. The earliest attested records of the Sinhalese script belong to the Anuradhapura period, specifically, to the 3 rd century BC. These are the inscriptions written in the Brahmi script which depict the gradual development of the Sinhalese alphabet, and the literary language. The first reference in historical sources to any written work is about 80 BC, but both Sinhalese and Pali literature is believed to have existed at least two centuries before this. There are evidence of three books belonging to the early Anuradhapura period which do not exist any longer. They are ‘Asak Daa Kawa’ ( අසක් දා කව ), ‘Porana Miyuru Sandesa’ ( පොරණ මියුරු සඳෙස ) , and ‘Helatuwaa’ (...
