Historical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon.

r.flq,lsr I{istorical Topography of Ancient and Medieval Ceylon Rv C. \Y. NICI{OI-,\S

Introduction

-l-l-lE pet'io,1 covern,l hl tlris ('oln.l)ilati,rrr ii frurrr llre r.irrli,,.t iirrr,,s r t o thc elcl ,rf the r3th centurl', at u4rich time tlie ncrlier-ill Sinhalese iror:. irr rlrt' sitr' t,f the capiru[ ,I trro si;i,ri;." "triili''i.o,,, polonrrarrrr Arrrr|i,llrllrrrr-a, to a in ro7o. (C). Temitorial Rolraraclesa

l'Iala'acl.sa

or

Divisions

or I{orrara-ma}ila]1. (Sinh. Ruhunu-cla'ar-iva) a'ct

r{a1a.1-a-mandala (,Sin\r- }Ialamanciu-iul-*r,.iJ principalities rvhich :lre mcntioned ironr the earliest historical trr,. times.

Rolrarra r:o'rprised ail ttre area to the ea:;t of trrc r.tah'uaii i;irso logctlr, r rr illr lorvcr 1-'za alid tlr,' llattrr,attr,.rn. .rl,jr,,rra atul crit, rIi>tlrct., aittl it. caPital \\as tt Nlrlrur:rrnra fpr,.s,.rrt l.ir,so,,,u,jl0,r,,i,,o,,

uhilr. ]lr,lrr a r.rten,led ov(.r 1lr(, 'it'. r.e,jion on,t "n,li. ino,,ntairr )thjarattha is not mcntion.,i'ililttrot i' the crrronicie .:iti,ly t,ut it was-iiiJ".iUirr,'thename eartiest principatitr., ll]1,,:::il' tlrc retllll ,,1 llre ruler.s at Anrrr.;irllrlprrra rrntil u.,.' ,,,,',rli,"l, r)*tt1'raga'*ani

fo'thills.

Alrhar;a unitecl the *,hore isi:rncl

irt"

or-r"

irirrg;;

rvas di'idet1 into foLrr divisio's nanec,l after ilrcr -Ii5jara{{ha cardinal r'lirections anrl the rnost irnportant o{ these clivislor, .uu. I)akhhif aclesa or r)akr