Parape Pillar Inscription (Dedigama)

The Parape Pillar Inscription (Sinhala: පරපේ ටැම් ලිපිය) is a fragmentary stone pillar containing an inscription written in medieval Sinhala. Presently, this artefact 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 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.

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This page was last updated on 2 January 2023