SOAS Research Online

Abstract

This work is an attempt to analyse the social conditions in ancient Ceylon (c.300-1000 A.D.). The first chapter starts with an introduction which briefly deals with the reasons why this topic was chosen. It also gives some indications of the socio-anthropological techniques to be applied in this study. The next part of this chapter is concerned with sources and examines both literary and archaeological sources with a view to assessing their historical value. Chapter Two deals with a discussion of family as a social unit with kinship terminology and the rights A and obligations of kinship. Chapter Tree is concerned with marriage and examines the different aspects of this institution including its influence on royal families in so far as the maintenance or restoration of their solidarity is concerned. Chapter Four concerns the position of women. In this, the general attitude of men towards women, the place of women in society and the position of the bhikkhuni Order are examined. Chapter Five contains a discussion of the emergence of new settlements in order to determine the expansion of Sinhalese. In chapter Six, different kinds of local groupings such as gama, nigama, nagara and rajadhani are discussed. Chapter Seven deals with the social groups and ranking including a discussion of caste and class. The Conclusion summarizes the major results of this study.