Tissamaharama Explained

Tissamaharama
Settlement Type:	Town
Pushpin Map:	Sri Lanka
Pushpin Label Position:	above
Pushpin Map Caption:	Location in Sri Lanka
Subdivision Type:	Country
Subdivision Name:	Sri Lanka
Subdivision Type1:	Province
Subdivision Name1:	Southern Province
Subdivision Type2:	District
Subdivision Name2:	Hambantota District
Subdivision Type3:	Grams niladari division-44
Unit Pref:	Imperial
Area Total Km2:	2180
Population Total:	79618 in 2011
Population Blank1 Title:	Ethnicities
Timezone:	+5.30
Coordinates:	6.2833°N 98°W
Elevation M:	19

Tissamaharama (Sinhala; Sinhalese: තිස්සමහාරාමය in Sinhala; Sinhalese pronounced as /ˈtissəmaˌhaːˈraːməyə/, Tamil: திஸ்ஸமஹாராம) is a town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.

History

It was the capital of the Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3rd century B.C. Few buildings from that period survived. The presence of early Tamils in Tissamaharama was confirmed following archaeological excavations in 2010. The Tissamaharama Tamil Brahmi inscription, a fragment of black and red ware flat dish inscribed in Tamil in the Tamil Brahmi script was excavated at the earliest layer in the town.^{[1] [2]}

The large, artificial Tissa Wewa lake, which was a part of an irrigation system, dates from that time. The five main nearby lakes are Tissa Wewa; Yoda Wewa; Weerawila Wewa; Pannegamuwa Wewa; and Debarawewa Wewa.

The town mainly serves as a starting point for visits to Yala National Park and Kataragama.

Archaeology

The archaeological excavations brought to light earliest urban phase in the 4th century BC. Fired bricks, Buddhist saddle querns, a potsherd with triangular sail (excavated from the layer of 1st century BC but on stylistic grounds were assigned to 3rd century BC), a hospital from 1st century AD-2nd century AD, (the earliest in south Asia), stone paved streets with drains and water channels dated before the Common Era, roof tiles, houses with plastered exterior etc.^{[3] [4] [5] [6]} A Tissamaharama potsherd with alleged Tamil Brahmi inscription was unearthed, however the scripts revealed a unique language.^[7]

See also

• Tissamaharama Raja Maha Vihara
• Tissa Wewa lake
• Yatala Vehera

Notes and References

1. News: An epigraphic perspective on the antiquity of Tamil. https://web.archive.org/web/20100701211040/http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/24/stories/2010062451701100.htm. dead. 1 July 2010. Mahathevan. Iravatham. 24 June 2010. The Hindu. 31 October 2010.
2. News: Tissamaharama potsherd evidences ordinary early Tamils among population. Ragupathy. P. 28 June 2010. Tamilnet. Tamilnet. 31 October 2010.
3. Book: Weisshaar, Hans-Joachim. Ancient Ruhuna. Sri Lankan – German Archaeological Project in the Southern Province. Hans-Joachim. Weisshaar. Helmut. Roth. W.. Wijeyapala. January 2001 . 1. Mainz. Philipp von Zabern. en.
4. Book: Weisshaar, Hans-Joachim. Ancient Tissamaharama: the formation of urban structures and growing commerce.. https://www.academia.edu/10177835. S.. Tripati. Maritime Contacts of the Past: Deciphering Connections Amongst Communities. January 2015 . 208–228. New Delhi. Delta Book World. en.
5. Weisshaar. Hans-Joachim. Legged Saddle Querns of South Asia.. Zeitschrift für Archäologie Aussereuropäischer Kulturen. January 2014 . 6. 119–144. en.
6. Weisshaar. Hans-Joachim. How to get water, and how to dispose? Water Management in an Early Urban Society of South Asia. C.. Nickel. H.-J.. Weisshaar. A. M.. Shadullah. S. A.. Shafi. Man and Water. Seminar on Archaeology, Supply and Sanitation in Bangladesh and Beyond. 23–32. Goethe-Institut. Dhaka. en.
7. Web site: Tissamaharama potsherd with alleged Tamil Brahmi inscription . 8 December 2023 .