Early Jewish encounters in Sri Lanka.

Lanka - Early Jewish Encounters

A bit of very ancient ‘history’ which is possibly more than folk  lore.

Suggests that some ships did sail  across the oceans to us 3000 years ago in times of king Solomon.

Nagas are the people mentioned of both in India and Lanka of whom there is no trace, probably assimilated into other cultures.

3000 years ago, the Palk St. would have been less than the 25 miles of today, if one were to accept that  8000 years ago the two countries had been connected.

Being mentioned by foreigners as here, Nagas may have lived around the coasts of both countries, thus noted as they may have been involved in  trade with foreigners.  Nagas get clear mention in the original Mahawamsa ( by Mahanama 4^th C AD ) of Sri Lanka.

Someday archeology around our ancient ports may throw up artifacts on ancient seafaring connections. Thor Heyerdahl in the early 1950s while in Ceylon, on his sail  trip with the winds did tell us to dig around our ancient ports, which we have not done so far.

jksw

A large part of present Sri Lankans be they Sinhalese or Tamils have most probably a large genetic lineage. Names like Nagaratnam, Nagasena, Nagamma recall this ancestry.

Philip G V

 

“Vamadevan argues based on early manuscripts that Solomon’s ships sailed to the land of Ophir, the land of the Nagas, early descendants of the Island of Sri Lanka [13].”

Lanka - Early Jewish Encounters

Route 1 (Pre-Portuguese Occupation):

                             Traveled to India

Sephardic Jews from Africa, Palestine, Afghanistan  Ø Trading Boats  È       ô

                                                        Ê Traveled to Ceylon

Early Jewish Encounters

The city of Galle, in the Southern Province is more commonly known as an important historical site (having UNESCO World Heritage listing) of Dutch occupation of the Island in the 1700’s.

In terms of folk law, Galle is also the place identified as the Tarshish in the Torah.

The period was 1,000 BCE

and the ships of Hiram and King Solomon were rumored to have visited the shores to trade[10].

Solomon’s ship was built at Ezion-Geber[11], near the Red Sea and took three years to make the round trip[12].

Vamadevan argues based on early manuscripts that Solomon’s ships sailed to the land of Ophir, the land of the Nagas, early descendants of the Island of Sri Lanka [13].

In support of this claim Tennant provides an extensive review of Hebrew and Persian literature[14].

Recent research by Tampoe (1995), whilst not addressing the issue of Jewish travel and trade

speculates that the Indian Ocean was divided by the great civilizations into three distinct trading zones with points of intersection and exchange[15].

Although Boperachchi[16] disputes the claim that Red Sea traders came to Ceylon (known as Taprobanê) as well as India,

on the basis that the long sea voyage restricted return travel to the monsoon winds,

eminent classical studies scholar D.P.M. Weerakkody begs to differ.

In his study of 6 century Greek writer Cosmas Indicopleustes, known as the “Indian Navigator”, points to the existence of Sri Lanka being an important site of international commerce in the eastern trade route[17].

From other manuscripts we can discern a somewhat later, but still ancient presence of Jews and their participation, if not integration into civic life.

Islamic geographic Abdullah el Idris (1099 – 1166) (sometimes known as Edrisi) in Scriptorum Arabum de Rebus Indicis Loci [18]

notes that in the ninth century, the Sinhala King [likely to be Kasyapa IV ruled 858 - 891]

who advocated an integrated society built around religious tolerance established a council of sixteen officials to advise him: “… four were Buddhists, four Mussulums [sic], four Christians and four Jews”[19]. 

According to Gilbert (1990) in the year 1170C.E. there were 3,000 Jews living in the Island today know as Sri Lanka[20].

This assertion is based on the writings of Rabbi Benjamin of Tudela, Spain,

whose manuscript Sefer Hamasot (Book of Travel) documents his travels to Jewish communities during the period 1154 – 1174 and records the size and economic conditions of the communities, including a community in Ceylon