Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction: in search of connectivity / Sarala Fernando -- The geostrategic environment / Roland Silva -- Foreign contacts with Sri Lanka / Roland Silva -- Literary references: ports of historical and spiritual contacts / Nimal De Silva -- Cartography of ancient ports and harbours / Brendon Gooneratne -- Historic Anuradhapura and the ports that served its interests / Ashley de Vos -- Alasanda, Persia and the passage to Anuradhapura / Merlin Peris -- Early historic settlement at Kantarodai / H. Nimal Perera / Arippu and its surroundings / M.U.A. Tennakoon -- The search for pearls / Rohan Pethiyagoda -- Maritime commerce and ports in Ancient Sri Lanka / W.I. Siriweera -- Numismatic evidence of pre-colonial foreign trade in Sri Lanka / Frederick Medis -- Muslim contribution to maritime trade in Sri Lanka / Asiff Hussein -- An ancient connection with China / Rohan Wickramasinghe -- The lost ships of Lanke / Somasiri Devendra -- The ancient port at Kirinda in Ruhuna / Raj Somadeva -- The ancient wreck at Godawaya / Rasika Muthucumarana -- The silver wreck on the Great Basses Reef / Ravan Ratnatunga -- The special Sri Lankan elephant / Ashley de Vos -- Brief history of whales in Sri Lanka / Asha de Vos -- Commentary on the ancient trade in tortoise shell / Anslem de Silva -- Chanks: a dwindling resource / Malik Fernando -- Bibliography -- Biographies.

Architecture