Logo

Proceeding of the Numismatic Workshop "Origin and Evolution of Coins" and the International Seminar "Circulation of Foreign Coins in Sri Lanka and Ancient Sea Routes in the Indian Ocean," Colombo, 8-10 September 1994.

In its 2500 years of history, Sri Lanka has been internationally recognized as an important cultural, religious, political and, above all, commercial centre in South Asia. With its central position in the Indian Ocean and an array of natural harbours, esturies and navigable rivers, it has linked commercial routes of the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Western India with Eastern India, Southeast Asia and Far East. And Sri Lanka is also known to have its own exports of precious stones, ivory, tortoise shells, textiles, spices, and the like. Resultantly, a large number of foreign coins came into circulation in the island. Notable among these are the punch-marked Kusana-and-Gupta coins from North India; Pandya, Chola, Pallava and Chera coins from South India; Roman and Byzantine coins from the West; and the Chinese coins from the East -- besides Indo-Greek, Indo-Parthian, Western Ksatrapas, Satavahana and Parthian coins.

Since H W Codrington''s Ceylon Coins and Currency, published in 1924, this book is the first to painstakingly explore the origin, evolution and circulation of foreign coins in Sri Lanka. Essentially the outcome of a Numismatic Workshop and an International Seminar, it carries, in two parts, a selection of ''revised'' papers presented at the twin event. Part 1 includes the ''Workshop'' presentations focusing on a variety of coins: ranging from the origin of Chinese and Greek coins to modern bank notes. Part 2, embodying the presentations of the International Seminar, unveils Roman, Chinese, Indian and Islamic coins circulating not only in Sri Lanka, but also in several other countries of the Indian Ocean. The volume also carries a few articles that interestingly set out the early European coins and paper money: either minted or printed in Europe, but circulated in Sri Lanka.

The Numismatic Workshop on the "Origin and Evolution of Coins" and the International Seminar on the "Circulation of Foreign Coins in Sri Lanka and Ancient Sea Routes in the Indian Ocean" were organized by the Sri Lanka Society for Numismatic Studies and the French Mission of Archaeological Cooperation in Sri Lanka, with the collaboration of the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka, in Colombo.

Osmund Bopearachchi is President, Sri Lanka Society for Numismatic Studies and also Director, French Mission of Archaeological Cooperation in Sri Lanka. The co-editor, D P M Weerakkody is Associate Professor, Department of Classical Languages, University of Peradeniya.