Editing Economy of Sri Lanka (section)

===Early history===

Sri Lanka has a long history as a trading hub as a result of being located at the centre of east–west trade and irrigated agriculture in the hinterland, which is known from historical texts surviving within the island and from accounts of foreign travellers. The island has [[Sri Lankan irrigation network|irrigation reservoirs]] called tanks built by ancient Kings starting after Indo-Aryan migration, many of which survive to this day.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://mahavamsa.org/mahavamsa/original-version/10-consecrating-pandukabhaya/|title= Chapter 10, Consecrating Pandukabhaya |publisher=[[Mahavamsa]] |website=Mahavamsa.org |date= 8 October 2011 |access-date=11 December 2020}}</ref> They form part of an irrigation system interlinked with more modern constructions.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fao.org/3/T0028E/T0028E03.htm
|title= Reservoirs - Historical Aspects |publisher=[[FAO]] |website=fao.org |access-date=11 December 2020}}</ref>

[[Faxian]] (also Fa Hsien) a Chinese Monk who travelled to India and Sri Lanka around 400 AD, writes of existing legends at his time of merchants from other countries trading with native tribal peoples in the island before [[Sinhalese people|Indo-Aryan settlement]].  "The country which originally had no human inhabitants but was occupied by spirits and [[Naga people (Lanka)|nagas]] (serpent worshipers) with which merchants of various countries carried on a trade," Faxian wrote in 'A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms'.<ref name="Project Gutenberg">{{cite web |url= https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2124/2124-h/2124-h.htm#link2HCH0039 |title= 'A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms - Chapter 38 |publisher=[[Project Gutenberg]] |website=Gutenberg.org |access-date=11 December 2020}}</ref> He writes of precious stones and pearl fisheries with a 30% tax by the king.

The monk had embarked "in a large merchant vessel" from India to arrive in the island.<ref name="Project Gutenberg"/> To go back to China he "took passage in a large merchantman on board which were more than 200 men", ran into a storm where the merchants were forced to throw part of the cargo overboard and arrived at Java-dvipa (Indonesia), showing Sri Lanka had active coastal and long-distance maritime trade links.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2124/2124-h/2124-h.htm#link2HCH0039 |title= 'A Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms - Chapter 40 |publisher=[[Project Gutenberg]] |website=Gutenberg.org |access-date=11 December 2020}}</ref>

[[Cosmas Indicopleustes]] (Indian Voyager), a merchant/monk from [[Alexandria]] of Egypt, who visited the Indian sub-continent in the 6th century, wrote in detail about Sri Lanka as a centre of commerce, referring to the island as Taprobane and Sieladiba.

"The island being, as it is, in a central position, is much frequented by ships from all parts of India and from Persia and Ethiopia, and it likewise sends out many of its own," he wrote in Christian Topography.  "And from the remotest countries, I mean Tzinista [China] and other trading places, it receives silk, aloes, cloves, sandalwood and other products, and these again are passed on to marts on this side, such as Male [Malabar or South West Indian coast] ... and to Calliana [Kalyana]... This same Sielediba then, placed as one may say, in the centre of the Indies and possessing the hyacinth [sapphire] receives ... and in turn exports to them, and is thus itself a great seat of commerce."<ref>{{cite web |url= https://archive.org/details/christiantopogr00cosmgoog |title= Christian Topography |publisher=[[Internet Archive]] |website=archive.org |year= 1897 |access-date=11 December 2020}}</ref>