Two Arabic Epigraphs found from the Ancient Port at Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka
Dublin Core
Title
Two Arabic Epigraphs found from the Ancient Port at Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka
Description
The ancient port Ambalangoda is located in No 85 – Patabandimulla Grama Niladari Division (GND) of Ambalangoda Secretariat Division (SD), Galle District, Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Three groups; the Archaeology, Maritime Archaeology, and the Harbour Development Project have worked on the Maritime Archaeological activities in the Ambalangoda port from 1998 to 2012. The Ambalangoda harbor development project was carried out in 2007. While digging the sea bed they unearthed several types of artifacts, discovering 5 copper alloy plates, which were a remarkable find from the site.
A notable thing which can be seen is two Arabic epigraphy in the reverse of the copper plates number 2 (2007/SL/S/AMBA/02) and 5 (2007/SL/S/AMBA/05). The Translation of the Epigraphy is (Arabic) (منح له سيد عبد الرب / Manehe Lahu Sayyid Abdul Rabb) “Mr. Abdul Rabb Awarded to him”.
Ceylon was early known to the Arabs on account of its pearl-fisheries and trade in precious stones and spices; Arab merchants had formed commercial establishments there centuries before the rise of Islam. This Arabic letter had been written without dotting, it reveals an early era before Islam, because after Islam is introduced, dotting to Arabic was introduced to make it easy to recite the Holy Quran. Here this Arabic letter was written without dotting, its meaning is: “Mr. Abdul Rabb Awarded to him”, (منح له سيد عبد الرب), (Manehe Lahu Sayyid Abdul Rabb). Therefore, these Epigraphical evidences reveals the historical maritime relationships between Ceylon and Arabic countries.
A notable thing which can be seen is two Arabic epigraphy in the reverse of the copper plates number 2 (2007/SL/S/AMBA/02) and 5 (2007/SL/S/AMBA/05). The Translation of the Epigraphy is (Arabic) (منح له سيد عبد الرب / Manehe Lahu Sayyid Abdul Rabb) “Mr. Abdul Rabb Awarded to him”.
Ceylon was early known to the Arabs on account of its pearl-fisheries and trade in precious stones and spices; Arab merchants had formed commercial establishments there centuries before the rise of Islam. This Arabic letter had been written without dotting, it reveals an early era before Islam, because after Islam is introduced, dotting to Arabic was introduced to make it easy to recite the Holy Quran. Here this Arabic letter was written without dotting, its meaning is: “Mr. Abdul Rabb Awarded to him”, (منح له سيد عبد الرب), (Manehe Lahu Sayyid Abdul Rabb). Therefore, these Epigraphical evidences reveals the historical maritime relationships between Ceylon and Arabic countries.
Creator
Mahinda Karunarathna,
Mohamed Sulthan Mohamed Saleem
Publisher
The Museum of Underwater Archaeology
Date
November 2021
Language
English
Bibliographic Citation
Karunarathna, Mahinda, and Mohamed Sulthan Mohamed Saleem. 2021. “Two Arabic Epigraphs found from the
Ancient Port at Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka.” Project and Oceanic Environmental Education Program.” Edited by Brian
Fahy, Hans Van Tilburg, Bill Jeffery, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Riley Smith. In Proceedings of Fourth Asia Pacific Regional
Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Keelung,Taiwan, and Virtual, November 1-5, 2021. The Museum of
Underwater Archaeology URL: https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/exhibits/show/apconf-muchproceedings/item/694
Ancient Port at Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka.” Project and Oceanic Environmental Education Program.” Edited by Brian
Fahy, Hans Van Tilburg, Bill Jeffery, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Riley Smith. In Proceedings of Fourth Asia Pacific Regional
Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Keelung,Taiwan, and Virtual, November 1-5, 2021. The Museum of
Underwater Archaeology URL: https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/exhibits/show/apconf-muchproceedings/item/694
Rights Holder
Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage
Files
Citation
Mahinda Karunarathna,
and Mohamed Sulthan Mohamed Saleem, “Two Arabic Epigraphs found from the Ancient Port at Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka,” APCONF-MUCH Proceedings Recently Added Items, accessed October 24, 2026, https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/items/show/694.