Hydraulic complexities

Anuradhapura's hydraulic system, comprising perennial and seasonal tanks, played a pivotal role in its development as a significant Indian Ocean urban center. The city's layout included three distinct zones: the Citadel, the monumental Sacred City, and the hinterland. The Nuvaraveva, Tissaveva, and Basavak Kulam tanks were central to this system, with extensive restorations conducted by the British in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The study sheds light on the hydraulic complexities that sustained Anuradhapura's urban core, while also addressing historical narratives, such as the Culavamsa's account of the 11th-century Chola conquest, which depicted it as a violent event leading to widespread destruction and plundering.

Strickl, K. M., Coningham, R., Gunawardhana, P., & Simpson, I. (2018). Hydraulic complexities. Water and Society from Ancient Times to the Present, 259–281. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315560144-13