➢ How farmers protect the chena from wild animals.

1 Lifestyle of Our Ancestors

→ Building a stockade
 Old day people engage in different typs of occupations to earn their → Making a bonfire
livelyhood. Faming, Trade, Craftwork and Animal husbandary. → Keeping guad from a watch hut
▪ Key areas of lifestlys → Building a Scare crow
1. Agriculture
2. Craftwork Chena cultivation
➢ Paddy that cultivate in chenas was “el wee”, rice that obtain from
3. Trade (highland cultivation)
elwee is “el hal”.
Farming Ancient book “Seehalawathth” king Dutugamunu’s son Prince
Paddy-field cultivation Saliya has given this name.
Agriculture
(wetland cultivation)
Animal ➢ Types of food cultivate in chena are “Grains, Vegetables.yams”
husbandry Grains Vegetables Yams
Sesami (;,) Karabatu Sweet potato (n;,)
 Agriculture Millet (fufkars) Ash Pumkin (mqyq,a) Casawa
▪ Two main categories of cultivation Kurakkan Kakiri (u[af[dlald)
1. Chenna Cultivation (Highland Cultivation) Green grams (uqx weg& Brinjal
2. Padyfield cultivation (wetland cultivatio) Cotton (mq`tka)
Long beans (uE
 CHENA CULTIVATION
lr,a)
• Cleaning some extent wildness and setting fire of it is called Chena. Ginger (b.=re)
This considered to be the oldest method in the world, and Sri Lanka Musted (wn)
too. It is done by in the Dry zone. Chena cultivation is done by using Cumin (iQoqre)
water Suger cane (Wla)
➢ Method of Cultivation
➢ Tool used to cultivate.
• Selecting a suitable land for the chena.
▪ Kaththa Hand axe (w;a fmdrj)
• Cutting down the wood, clearing the land and setting the fire to it.
▪ Mammoties (Woe,a,) Pumkin vessle (,nq legh)
• Removing stumps and roots and tilling the land.
▪ Sickle (oE le;a;)
• The chena which is been cultivated for the first time is called
‘Navadeli hena’( virgin land).
➢ Language related to chena cultivation.
• Famers have to look after the cultivation from wild animals like ▪ Navadeli hena – a chen been pepared after setting fire to a virgin
elephants,wild bears, sambur, porcupines, wild pigs and monkeys. land.
• Start of the rainy season farmers start cultivating the crops. ▪ Gini yathikawa – shouting loud in order to chase the animal
• Chena was abandond after it had been cultivated once or twice away before setting fire to chena.
▪ Heli kataa – scarecrow that was made using clay pot as its head.
Wetland Cultivation ➢ Tools used to cltivate.
(Paddy field cultivation / Irrigantion cultivation) → Plough → Poruwa
• It is done useing irrigation water. The process of cultivation → Sickle → mamotry
crops in soil that are flooded by natural water for the majoritybof
the year. ➢ Language related to wetland cultivation.
• Tanks an Anicuts were constructed and water was supplied to ▪ Goyam madinawa – thresh the paddy
paddy-fields through canals. ▪ Goyam kolaya – pile of cut paddy
• Cultivating from rainy water too was done in small scale. ▪ Kamatha – the theshing floor
• Tanks that made in villagers to collect rainy water was known as
“Village tanks” Animal Husbandary
• King Mahasen built Minneriya Tank to collect water for • Earing of animals for obtaining milk, meat and eggs for food and
irrigation. He was known as “Minnei God” rearing them for agricultural and transpotation purpose.
• Cattles, goats, poultry and pigs had been reared by the livestock
➢ Two main seasons in wetland cultivation. farmersof our country.

* Maha season *Yala season ➢ Cattle farming

➢ According to Thonogala reports, the 3 seasons that paddy has • Animals are used to;
been cultivated. → Obtain milk →Agricultural anctivities → Transportation
 Maha season (Akala hasa) • Cows that used to obtain milk was known as “Kiri gei” (milk
 Intermediate season (Madhahasa) cows).
 Yala season (Pitadhada hasa) • Five tasty food obtain from cow – “Pasgorasa”
1. Milk 2. Curd 3. Butter milk 4. Ghee 5. Butter
➢ Methods of cultivation • Person who look after the cattle and grace them called
▪ Ploughing the land – they naturally decay and enrich the soil. “Cowherd” (cow boy) – “Gopalla”
▪ Farmers divide the land into smaller fields inorder to manage
• The villages where the cowherds lived was known as “Gopala
water.
gam”
▪ It is sown with pady.
• The cattle that were used fo transportation purpose were called
▪ Harvesting the padd when the crop is ripe.
“gel meevun” and “gal gon”.
▪ Farmers built a storage bin Store paddy called “Vee Bissa”
• Transporting goods in a pack that was placed on the back of
▪ They made two varieties of paddy “raw rice” & “Boild rice”
cattle o “Pack-bull”was called “Thawalama”
➢ How farmers protect the paddy
➢ Poltry farming - To obtain eggs and meat
▪ Standing the head pat of the coconut frounds in the middle of the
paddy.
➢ Goat farming – to obtain milk and meat.
▪ Lighiting the soaked oil wicks.
 Caft Industry ▪ Puga – those who engaged in trade oganized themselves as
 There wee different types of craft industries established for the separate groups..
needs of the ancient people. ▪ Nanadesi , Wala Nghjiyar – Trade guilds which foreign taders
 They lived in goups. had organised themselves.
▪ Sealas – they used separate symbols on order to establish their
Craft Craftsmen Goods produce. identities.
Metal Iron, Blacksmith - f,dalre Agricultual tools – ▪ Hasebu Kahapana – the first coin in Sri Lanka 2000 years ago.
(person who make Iron Big knives, axes, Made with silve. Thee symbols of tree, sun and an elephant.
tools) sickles, shields. Speae. ▪ Pattan Gam/ Patun gam – trade villagers which were involved
Gold Glodsmith - rkalre Jewellery – in trade. Shops were set up along the streets fo selling goods like
Silver (Person who make Neckleces, bangles,
pots, textiles jewelllery and food.
objects fom gold) earrings, head desses.
▪ Badulla Stone Inscription – King Udaya IV (946-954AD)
Brass Copper woker - ;Ulre Copper articles.
(person who make ercted a stone instripion of rules and order to prevent injustice
copper aticles) were commited at the market of “Hopitigama”
Pottery Potter - Roofing tiles, bricks,  Goods that ae being boght to the maket shouldnot be
pots purchased before they enter the market.
Sugarcane Molasses, juggery,  Balances and weights which had not been approved should
sugar not be used.
Cotton Weaver Textiles  Betel and areca nut etc. should be sold after placing them in
(Textile Industy) prope halls.
Gems Gem cutter Cutting gems,  Taxes should not be charged on goods for carying them
polishing gems through the market unless they are sold there.

 Trade → External Trade (Foreign Trade)

→ This was too also one of the main souces of livelihood of ancient ▪ Sri Lanka located in the centre of the Indian Ocean.it had highly
people. flourished trade relationships with foreign countries.
→ The two types of trade activities Eg: China, India, Rome, Persia, Aab and South Eastern Asia
1. Internal Trade – Trade within the country ▪ Sri lanka was know as Rathna Deepa (Island of Gem)
2. External Trade (Foeign Trade) – Trade with foreign countries ▪ Items trade (sells) – Ivory, Pearls, Gems, Spices, Medicine,
→ Internal Trade Valuable Timber and elephants.
▪ Based on barter system and use of coins. ▪ Items import to Sri Lanka – Crockery, Silk cloth, perfumes and
▪ Barter System – Goods are directly exchange for other goods. horses
▪ Trade cities (Nigama) – Anuadhapura , Magama ▪ Harbours – Dambakolapatuna Port – Kankasanthuri
People who became wealthy by engaging in trade lived in these Mathota Port – Mannar
cities. Gokanna Port – Tinkomalee
Godawaya Port - Hambantota
 Culture  Marriage

• Culture - The collection of different characteristics such as • Ancient society considered marriage shold be highly respected, fo
Beliefs, Customs, Social habits, Clothes, Food style, Ethics, the unit is called “family”.
and Entertainment of a particular group of people in a society. • They were required to have proper trainging in cooking and
• Introduction of Buddhism there was a great transformation in keeping house clean and beautiful.
the society. • According to Sahassavaththupakarana it is the responsibility of
→ People became disciplined in the society. parents to make their daughter skilled cookery.
→ Mutual cooperation developed. • Madupachika – whomen who were highly skilled in cookery has
→ People worked in mutual cooperation in common tasks such been called as Madhupachika.
as constructing Stupas, Temples and Arama, Tanks, Dams
and Roadways.  Funerals
• There two main funeral pactices.
 Aththam Method (Exchange of Labour) 1. Burial
2. Cremation
• Aththam Method – Exchange of Labour
• There had been separate cemeteries for diffeent social group.
People get the assistence of their neighbours to gathering havest.
• Separate cemetry for the people belonging to the Chandala cast.
Same way they give labour assistance to the farmers who helped
them.
• The livelyhood of the majority in the country was agriculture,  Customs and values
they used family labour.
• Ancient people who were very keen in fulfilling their duties,
• Labour of large number of people was needed for activities like
respected and took care of adults.
gathering harvest.
• King Aggabodhi VII – looked afte his mother by giving oil
• People get the assistence of their neighbour.
massage on head, timming he nails, putting perfume on her body
→ Therefore, mutual understanding, cooperation and and put her sleep.
assistance develop.
• Same way they give labour assistance to the farmers who helped
them.
• Aththam method is an example for that
• King Mahachuli Tissa who ruled in Anuadhapura kingdom also
himself give labour assistance in gathering assistance.