Jaffna Archaeological Society
ESTABLISHED 1985
Discovering an Ancient Past
“To research and reveal the history of ancient Jaffna through archeological, epigraphical and numismatic evidences.”
Featured
The Magnum Opus
of
Professor S. Pathmanathan
A rigorous and illuminating journey through more than eight centuries of early history in the Jaffna peninsula — drawing on paleographical evidence, epigraphic sources, and comparative historical analysis to fill a significant lacuna in the historiography of Sri Lanka.
The LAunch
An Evening at the Cinnamon Grand
Colombo · 11th April 2026
The evening of 11th April 2026 marked the launch of Professor Sivasubramanium Pathmanathan's groundbreaking research, Glimpses of an Ancient Civilization, Society and Culture in Jaffna 300 BC – AD 500.
Distinguished academics, legal luminaries, and members of civil society gathered at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel for an evening of celebration of the seminal new book.
The event was graced by President's Counsel Mr Kanag-Isvaran, who served as the Chief Guest, and Dr J.M. Swaminathan, Dr B.A. Hussainmiya and Dr Jehan Perera who participated as the distinguished speakers.
Professor Pathmanathan's book embarks on a rigorous and illuminating journey through more than eight centuries of early history in the Jaffna peninsula — the Nagas of the prehistoric period. He brings to light the social, cultural, and civilizational contours of a society that flourished long before the written record, mainly carved into metal and stone in Tamil Brahmi Scripture. Drawing on paleographical evidence, epigraphic sources, and comparative historical analysis, the work fills a significant lacuna in the historiography of Sri Lanka, offering scholars and general readers alike a compelling window into a largely uncharted era — the image of a society that developed an economy and culture peculiar to the areas of Jaffna District.
Mr Jitto Arulampalam, a long-term friend and collaborator of the professor, opened the event acknowledging his landmark contribution in writing a new chapter in the history of Sri Lanka and also announced the establishment of an endowment to the University of Jaffna to award "The Professor Sivasubramanium Pathmanathan Gold Medal for the best overall student performance in History".
Chief Guest Mr Kanag-Isvaran P.C. lauded Professor Pathmanathan's dedication to meticulous research, describing the publication as a testament to the power of scholarship in bridging communities through a shared understanding of history.
The event also featured a dance offering depicting Nallor Murugan, choreographed by Kalasuri Vishwabhinandana Guru Thivya Sujen. The highlight of the evening was to hear from the professor himself — his 50-year journey that has culminated in this magnum opus.
The event concluded with a felicitation by the University of Jaffna, represented by Mrs Shanthini Arulanantham, Head of the Department of History, recognizing his immense contributions to the history and education of the country through the different roles he has held.
In Their Own Words
voices from the evening
History, then, is not only about the past; it is a guide for the choices we must make today about inclusion, justice and the kind of nation we wish to pass on to our children.
MR KANAG -ISVARAN P.C.
Chief Guest
Professor Pathmanathan exercises exemplary philological restraint, deriving conclusions strictly from what the text can securely sustain. This methodological discipline has significant implications: it opens the possibility of an emergent Tamil polity in the northern region rather than presupposing unqualified subordination to the Anuradhapura kingdom, thereby inviting a more nuanced understanding of early political formations in the island.
DR B.A HUSSAINMIYA
There are scholars who give us knowledge. There are others who give us perspective. But there are not many who, through their painstaking scholarship and generosity of their spirit, help a country see itself anew. Professor Pathmanathan belongs to that rare category.
DR JEHAN PERERA
The present volume is based on historical information that has accumulated over the past 100 years through excavations and exploratory surveys but hitherto not used or deciphered. The examination of these inscriptions on some monuments found in the Jaffna district has finally led to the discernment of the society and culture of the distant past.
PROF. S. PATHMANATHAN
DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS
The Speakers
MR Kanag -Isvaran P.C.
DR J.M Swaminathan
DR B.A Hussainmiya
DR Jehan Perera
Gallery
Reviews & Press
Critical Reception
Independent scholarship and critical analysis from leading historical journals and publications.
Click on the name to check out the reviews.
“The present volume is primarily based on a category of source materials that
were not used hitherto. They are in the form of Tamil inscriptions written in theTamil-Brāhmi script. These inscriptions are brief and their vocabulary is confined toa few words. They are of an unusual kind and engraved on items of stone and metal that provide an indication of the mode of production and culture that prevailed in ancient Jaffna.”
Glimpses of an Ancient Civilisation
Society and Culture in Jaffna (300BC-AD 500)