Ceylon Stone Implements

An attempt has been made, in this paper, to give a short account of what is at present known, of the Stone Age in Ceylon. It is particularly hoped that it may arouse an interest amongst those men who are in the best position to add to our knowledge of the subject. I refer to those Sinhalese Chieftains–the native gentry of the island–who still find their pleasure in managing (Often personally) their princely domains. Little or nothing is known of the earliest types of implements that were fabricated in Ceylon. It has even been suggested that our quartz series of stones are not really prehistoric, but belong to an age that is recent–as compared with that generally attributed to similar implements in other lands. It is impossible, at present, to prove or disprove this theory, owing to the incompleteness of our knowledge. Even the fact that vestiges of Stone Age in Ceylon exist, is a matter of comparatively recent recognition. It is now incumbent upon our native aristocracy to further this research on every possible opportunity. The construction of irrigation channels, the cutting of foundations or the removal of large bodies of soil for any purpose, the ‘aswedumizing’ of ancient lands and the various operations of bringing waste lands under cultivation, all offer opportunities that should not be neglected. Every stone of unusual or interesting form that may be unearthed during such operations should be secured and reserved for inspection.