The Timeline of Sri Lankan history outlines the major political, territorial, socio-economic, and cultural developments of Sri Lanka and its predecessor states from prehistory through to the modern era. Spanning over five hundred thousand years, the chronological record documents the island's evolution from early human settlement and protohistoric Iron Age societies through to the arrival of Indo-Aryan migrants and the establishment of the first organised state in the 6th century BCE through to the present day.
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Historical periods: PrehistoricIron Age TambapanniAnuradhapuraPolonnaruwaTransitionalKandyanBritish CeylonSince 1948 Centuries: 6th BCE5th BCE4th BCE3rd BCE2nd BCE1st BCE1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21stFuture
Prehistoric Sri Lanka Year Event ca. 500,000–300,000 BP First human settlements in Sri Lanka. ca. 300,000 BP Possible earliest occurrence of archaeological deposits dating back to the Middle Pleistocene. ca. 125,000 BP Evidence of a flake industry characterized by unretouched small tools. ca. 125,000–75,000 BP Occurrence of Pleistocene altithermals leading to increased atmospheric circulation and seasonality of precipitation. ca. 74,000 BP Earliest radiometric dating of archaeological deposits in Sri Lanka. ca. 50,000–30,000 BCE Prehistoric Period: primitive food-gathering. ca. 30,000–1,000 BCE Mesolithic Period: food-gathering. ca. 28,500 BP Artefacts layer recorded at Batadombalena site (7c). ca. 28,000 BP Appearance of geometric microlithic stone tool assemblages (up to possibly ca. 2,500 BP). ca. 28,000 BP Earliest evidence of anatomically modern man in South Asia from human remains. ca. 28,000 BP Start of relative homogeneity in Wet Zone environmental and cultural sub-systems. ca. 22,000 BP Artefacts layer recorded at Batadombalena site (7b). ca. 16,700 BP Artefacts layer recorded at Batadombalena site (7a). ca. 16,000 BP Human skeletal material displaying morphological continuity. ca. 14,300–16,000 BP Artefacts layer recorded at Batadombalena site (6). ca. 13,500 BP Artefacts layer recorded at Batadombalena site (5). ca. 12,500 BP Human skeletal material displaying morphological continuity. ca. 11,500–13,000 BP Artefacts layer recorded at Batadombalena site (4). ca. 10,000 BCE Austronesian migrations to Sri Lanka; production of microliths from heat-shattered quartz and evidence of urn burials. ca. 6,500 BP Human skeletal material displaying morphological continuity.
Iron Age (~1000 BCE–500 BCE)
11th century BCE Year Event c. 1,000–300 BCE Protohistoric Period: beginnings of agriculture and iron technology.
10th century BCE Year Event 900 BCE Archaeological evidence for the beginnings of the Iron Age in Sri Lanka is found at Anuradhapura, where a large city–settlement was founded before 900 BCE. The settlement was about 15 hectares in 900 BCE, but by 700 BC it had expanded to 50 hectares. A similar site from the same period has also been discovered near Aligala in Sigiriya.
7th century BCE Year Event 600–500 BCE Early Brahmi inscriptions and non-Brahmi symbols recorded from site contexts AMP-88(75) and ASW-88(88)
Tambapanni period
6th century BCE Year Date Eventca. 500 BCE Transition between the protohistoric Iron Age and the Lower Early Historic period, as instanced in context 17. Rim type 8 in necked vessels and roof-tile type 35a make their first appearance. This episode is inadequately defined and could have commenced as early as the 8th century BC, as per the evidence from the calibrated age range. Commencement of progressive spread of Sinhalese and Tamil speaking peoples equipped with iron technology and agricultural subsistence systems. ~543 BCE Vijaya, prince regent of Sinhabahu, the King of Vanga and Queen Sinhasivali, is exiled along with his 700 followers, from Sinhapura after he and his band of followers became notorious for their violent deeds. The wives and children of these 700 men were also sent on separate ships.543 BCE Prince Vijaya had his followers landed at a place called Supparaka; the women landed at a place called Mahiladipaka, and the children landed at a place called Naggadipa. Vijaya's ship later reached Sri Lanka, on the North west coast of present-day Puttalam, on the day of the Parinibbaana of The Buddha. The Kingdom of Tambapanni is established. 543–505 BCE During the reign of Vijaya, in addition to Tambapaṇṇī, the King and his ministers founded settlements like Anuraadhagaama, Upatissagāma, Ujjeni, Uruvelaa and Vijithapura located along the river banks of the Malwathu Oya and the Kala Oya in the northwestern region of Sri Lanka. 505 BCE Prince Vijaya dies without a legitimate successor after a reign of 38 years. Upatissa, chief minister of Vijaya, becomes regent while a successor is brought over from Sinhapura. 504 BCE The nephew of Prince Vijaya, Panduvasdeva, succeeds him to the throne. He arrives one year after the death of Vijaya and brings with him 32 sons of ministers.
5th century BCE Year Date Event 474 BCE Death of Panduvasdeva after a reign of 30 years. Abhaya, eldest son of Panduvasdeva, ascends the throne. ~454 BCE Prince Pandukabhaya, nephew of Abhaya, rebels and goes to war with his uncles. Abhaya, upon losing the battle sent a letter to the prince in secret conferring on him the rule of the country south of the river, sharing sovereignty of Sri Lanka. Hearing of this plan angered Abhaya's brothers, Pandukabhaya's uncles, compelled Abhaya to abdicate and elected Prince Tissa, the next in line, as regent. 454 BCE Deposition of Abhaya after a reign of 20 years; Prince Tissa, younger brother of Abhaya, becomes regent. 454–437 BCE Prince Tissa was not acknowledged universally as the Sinhalese king, remained as regent during the Nineteen Years' War (458–439 BC), which ended with the Battle of Labugamaka where with the aid of the Yakkhas and others, Pandukabhaya slew eight of his uncles who were against him. 437 BCE Pandukabhaya, nephew of Abhaya and Tissa, takes the capital Upatissagāma and is crowned the new Sinhalese king.
Anuradhapura period
5th century BCE Year Date Event 438 BC Pandukabhaya proceeded to Anuraadhagaama where he builds it as the new capital of Sri Lanka, renaming it Anuradhapura. 400 BC Abhaya Wewa built
4th century BCE Year Date Event 367 BCE Death of Pandukabhaya after a reign of 70 years. Mutasiva, son of Pandukabhaya, ascends the throne. 375 BCE 28 February Total solar eclipse visible over northern Sri Lanka (Jaffna Peninsula). 353 BCE 24 June Total solar eclipse visible over southeastern Sri Lanka. 335 BCE 4 July Total solar eclipse visible across almost the entirety of Sri Lanka. 307 BCE Death of Mutasiva after a reign of 60 years. Devanampiya Tissa, second son of Mutasiva, ascends the throne. ~300 BCE Greek historian Megasthenes mentions Sri Lanka (Taprobane) in his writings.
3rd century BCE Year Date Event 250 BCE Theravada Buddhism is officially introduced to Sri Lanka by the Mahinda Thero, son of Ashoka, during the reign of Devanampiya Tissa. 250 BCE Sanghamitta Theri, daughter of Emperor Ashoka, sister of Mahinda, arrives in Sri Lanka from India to establish the Bhikkhuni Sangha, bringing a sapling of the Sacred Bodhi Tree, which was planted in the Mahamevnāwa Uyana at Anuradhapura. The Thuparamaya, the first Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka, was constructed after the arrival of Mahinda Thero. 267 BCE Death of Devanampiya Tissa after a reign of 40 years. Uttiya, younger brother of Devanampiya Tissa, ascends the throne. 255 BCE Mahinda Thero passes away at the age of 80 in the eighth year of the reign of Uttiya. 256 BCE Sanghamitta Therii passes away at the age of 79 in the ninth year of the reign of Uttiya. 257 BCE Death of Uttiya after a reign of 10 years. Mahasiva, younger brother of Uttiya, ascends the throne. 247 BCE Death of Mahasiva after a reign of 10 years. Suratissa, younger brother of Mahasiva, ascends the throne. 237 BCE Suratissa is slain in battle after a reign of 10 years; South Indian invaders Sena and Guttika usurp the throne. 215 BCE Asela, son of Mutasiva, overthrows Sena and Guttika in battle after a reign of 22 years reclaiming the throne. 205 BCE Asela is slain in battle after a reign of 10 years; Elara, a Tamil prince from South India invades and ursurpes the throne.
2nd century BCE Year Date Event 161 BCE Dutugamunu, a descendant of Mahanaga, Prince of Ruhuna brother of Asela, defeats and kills Elara at the Battle of Vijithapura and restores Sinhalese sovereignty after a reign of 44 years. 140 BC The Ruwanwelisaya (or Maha Thupa), the most celebrated stupa in Sri Lanka, is built by Dutugamunu and sends a monk to India to fetch relics to be enshrined in it. The Mirisawetiya Vihara stupa is built by Dutugamunu in Anuradhapura. 133 BCE 1 June Total solar eclipse visible across Sri Lanka except the far northern region, during the reign of King Dutugamunu. 137 BCE Death of Dutugemunu after a reign of 24 years. Saddha Tissa, younger brother of Dutugemunu, ascends the throne. 119 BCE Saddha Tissa dies and is succeeded by his younger son Thulatthana, whose ascension was endorsed and supported as a result of the decision made by royal advisors and Buddhist monks. 119 BCE Death of Saddha Tissa after a reign of 18 years. Thulatthana, second son of Saddha Tissa, ascends the throne, but is deposed and killed after a reign of 1 month and 10 days; Lanjatissa, elder brother of Thulatthana, ascends the throne. 119 BCE One month and ten days after his ascension, Lanja Tissa usurps his younger brother Thulatthana and takes the throne upon hear of his succession. 109 BCE Death of Lanjatissa after a reign of 9 years and 15 days. Khallata Naga, younger brother of Lanjatissa, ascends the throne. 103 BCE Khallata Naga is assassinated by his own commander-in-chief, Kammaharattaka. However, Kammaharattaka's rule last only a day and is killed by Prince Vattagamini, the youngest brother of Khallata Naga. Prince Vattagamini ascends the throne as Valagamba. 103 BCE Only five months into his regin Valagamba faced internal threats from a Brahman named Tiya (or Tissa) from Ruhuna, South Lanka and external threats from Tamil forces from South India. The Tamil army vanquished Tiya and defeated Valagamba in battle forcing him to flee into exile for fourteen years. Pulahatha, the first of the The Five Dravidians seized and ruled the Sinhalese throne. 103 BCE–89 BCE The fourteen years of rule of The Five Dravidians was disastrous for the country and its institutions. The Beminitiya Seya, an unprecedented famine during that period caused the rapid decline of Buddhism in the country with many thousands of monks and laymen dying of starvation. 100 BCE Pulahatha is slain after a reign of 3 years; Bahiya ascends the throne.
1st century BCE