Contextualising the Tabbova-Maradanmaduva ‘Culture’: Excavations at Nikawewa, Tirappane District, Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka

Excavations at Nikawewa, Sri Lanka, have provided the first absolute scientific date for terracotta figurines and artefacts traditionally linked to the Tabbova-Maradanmaduva 'culture,' challenging long-standing assumptions about their origins. Contrary to the notion that these artefacts represent spontaneous 'folk art' created by local communities, the study suggests a high degree of uniformity in the terracotta corpus, indicating a formalised ritual structure parallel to Buddhist monasteries. This research, conducted as part of the Anuradhapura Project: The Hinterland (Phase II), employed stratigraphic excavation and sampling to address uncertainties surrounding the dating and significance of these artefacts, offering new insights into their cultural and social context.

Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., Davis, C., Adikari, G., Simpson, I., Strickland, K., Gilliland, K., & Manuel, M. (2012). Contextualising the Tabbova-Maradanmaduva ‘Culture’: Excavations at Nikawewa, Tirappane District, Anuradhapura District, Sri Lanka. South Asian Studies, 28(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/02666030.2012.659877