American International Journal of Social Science

A Historical Study of Some Aspects of Marriage Institution in Sri Lanka from 13th Century to the End of the 15th Century AD
Dr. N. A. Wimalasena (Ph.D.)

Abstract
Some scholars have dealt with marriage of different periods in history. M. B. Ariyapala in his work on the Society in Medieval Ceylon as depicted in the Saddharmaratnavali and other Sinhalese literature of the thirteenth century, published in 1956 compared some passages in his sources with those of the Anuradhapura period. Similarly the Culture of Ceylon in Medieval Times, a posthumous work of W. Geiger contains two pages on Social Organization and Caste System during the Anuradhapura period is briefly discussed. Geiger’s study is based almost exclusively on the main chronicle. H. Ellawala has done for example research into the period from the fifth century BC to the fourth century AC. He has tried to analyze the marriage system of early Sri Lanka under the family organization. He has described marriage under the subtitle of traditions pertaining to the age of marriage in Indian society, relationship of the ideal marriage partners, types of marriage in Indian society, equality of birth as the most important factor for a marriage settlement, polygamy and polyandry, divorce and remarriage, marriage outside the normal practice, polygamy in Sri Lanka society and widow marriage. But he says that the numerous lithic records which are still not deciphered are studied carefully and a systematic archaeological survey is made on the sites of early settlements of this country, this analysis will remain incomplete. S. B. Hettiaratchi has done it very widely from about the fourth to the tenth century AC. This period is generally known as the later Anuradhapura period. He has allocated a chapter on the marriage system to the relevant period. He has done it under the themes of age of marriage, the customs of marrying daughters, crosscousin marriage, the selection of marriage partners, and functions of marriage, love marriage, marriage of the ordinary people, dowry system, political influence and marriage. In this study, an attempt is made to study the some features of marriage and society from about the thirteenth century AC to the end of sixteenth century AC under some sections of marriage and society. The research is mainly based on primary sources. Wherever necessary material will also be obtained from limited secondary sources on the social history.

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