Parape Pillar Inscription

The Parape Pillar Inscription is a fragmentary stone pillar that contains an inscription written in the medieval Sinhala language. Presently, this artifact has been placed at the premises of Dedigama Archaeological Museum. 

Discovery

The pillar was discovered at a place in Medamediliya Pattuwa in Kinigoda Korale (Bell, 1904). It was said to be in a site of an old Ambalama (a choultry) located near the road from Walalgoda to the North-Western province boundary and later brought to the upper hamlet (Ihalagama), high up the face of Parape-kanda (Bell, 1904). It had been then used as one of the supporters of a granary of a house (Bell, 1904).

The inscription

The inscription consists of 10 lines of writing and has been engraved on one side of the pillar. The pillar is 2 feet tall and the width of each side is 8 inches (Bell, 1904). Both the upper and bottom parts of the pillar are broken off (Bell, 1904).

Period: 9-10th centuries A.D.
Script: Mediaeval Sinhala
Language: Mediaeval Sinhala
Content: The inscription has been erected in the eleventh regnal year of a certain king but whose name is not in the preserved portion. It contains information about some business activities, tax collection, and details of an administrative unit named Parape. However, a complete meaning can not be extracted from this inscription due to only a fragment of the original inscription is available today.

Reference: The information board at the site by the Department of Archaeology.

References

1) Bell, H.C.P., 1904. Report on the Kegalle District of the Province of Sabaragamuwa. Archaeological Survey of Ceylon: XIX-1892. Government Press, Sri Lanka. p.72.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 2 January 2022
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