Gems, a major industry even in the past

By Amal HEWAVISSENTI

The gem industry has been a highly lucrative and popular industry in the island since the distant past and it still is. Generally, the Ratnapura district maintains an international fame as one of the biggest treasures of Asia's gems and still stays unsurpassed as the producer of priceless gems of Sri Lanka. However, the gemstones that Sri Lanka has treasured in her bosom are priceless, unique and irreplaceable.

Thus, gems is a common and interesting topic which really harps on the name of the city of gems (Ratnapura) of Sabaragamuwa Province. Balangoda, Avissawella and Akuressa are prominently identified as the well-known triangle of gems even though some other regions of the island have been discovered to contain considerable amount of gems hidden.

In comparison with the foremost gem producing countries, Sri Lanka possesses an increasing percentage of land profusely scattered with gems. Gem industry in Sri Lanka generates immense support for the country's economy and this support is even more encouraged by the government institutions associated with the industry. Greater number of employment opportunities has originated from gem industry which roughly underpins the country's development process.

Mukkuwars

The most superb gemstones discovered in our country have earned higher celebration, honour and renown for Sri Lanka in the global gem market. These rare gems have succeeded in elevating the international renown of the country and made international gem experts depend on Sri Lanka for more and more precious stones of best quality. This happened in the history and this continues to do so in the present day and future.

History proves that gem industry flourished in Sri Lanka even in the past and gems had been ranked a major export item then. The use of precious stones in decoration purposes can be identified in varied forms when ancient rulers had ascribed a great value to them. Most obviously, precious stones were lavishly exploited to embellish palaces, religious places and they were stored up as valuable things in royal treasure houses. The rulers and the royalty wore the jewellery studded with gems and there were villages of gem cutters who manufactured jewellery and attractive precious stones for those of the higher classes. There is an interesting account of a group of people called Mukkuwars who were closely connected with precious stones. This unique ethnic group probably immigrated to Sri Lanka from India or some Arabian country in order to seek wealth hidden in Sri Lanka - the precious stones.

Scattered legends associated with the operations of Mukkuwars in Sri Lanka narrate their strange practices in excavating the ground for signs of gems. They definitely found gems in some sites and regions because they applied their own science to locate earth with gems. In keeping with the popular legends, Mukkuwars worked hard excavating the earth for gems and if ever one of them died, they would bury him along with his own valuables and precious stones.

Therefore, the graves of Mukkuwars were subsequently believed to be treasures in the earth. This practice reminds us of the Pharaoh tradition of keeping precious objects loved by a dead ruler alongside the dead body inside the pyramid.

Portuguese period

The gems found in any region of the country were considered state property during the Portuguese period. There were special officials appointed by the state to supervise the work of obtaining gems in rivers and mines during this period. There were officials such as Akara Vidane, Kanaka Pulles and Mohottalas who were in charge of gem mining and they were supported by a few experienced gem miners.

During the Portuguese period, mining for gems took place within the spell from January to April, in addition to mining, gem cutting too was a major industry in the country and the Portuguese accumulated immense wealth that was chiefly invested in their colonial projects, according to their documents. Historical writings made by foreign travellers provide a great deal of information regarding the use of precious stones in the period. The Portuguese made arrangements to sell the gems found in Sri Lanka at special gem markets in Kochin and Gova.

According to the records made by John Dave, all the gems found in the country was a property owned by the king in the Kandyan Kingdom. During this period, gem mining took place under the permission and supervision by the king who used the gems to decorate the palace and religious institutions. The precious stones were chiefly used to embellish the king's crown, ear rings, throne, bracelets and certain statues in the palace. Dave reveals in his writings that the common precious stones found in Sri Lanka were blue sapphires, rubies, tourmalines, quartz, amethyst, garnets and topaz. Some of these were semi precious stones.

John Dave claims that the king and the royalty lavishly exploited gems for varied projects and goes on to say that the kings presented gems and jewellery to the most gifted officials and foreign envoys. The kings in their coronation wore a special gold plated garment inset with the best precious stones such as rubies, sapphires, diamonds and topaz.

The king sometimes carried a stick decorated with precious stones and had his armed vehicles studded with (semi) precious stones such as garnets or quartz. During this period, cutting and polishing of gems had been widespread among many districts and the cut and polished gemstones were fixed on (royal) garments and ornaments.

Records

The records of Fa-Hsien (a Chinese traveller monk who came to Sri Lanka in the 4th century AD) proves the widespread use of gems in the country by then. Fa-Hsien assertively expresses that he had witnessed precious stones in the garments worn by the royalty and in state treasuries.

The monk describes in his records, the magnificence of a 'Dalada Maligawa' (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) studded with colourful precious stones and Buddha statues decorated with gemstones. Stone inscriptions make references to Manikara grama (the villages inhabited by gem cutters) where the professional gem cutters cut and polished gems for different purposes.

A close analysis of Sigiri frescoes shows that women in King Kasyapa's era wore gems and this practice is further confirmed by a gem-studded earring discovered in the premises of Sigiriya rock.

Gems were inserted into the eyes of ancient Buddha statues and there have been traditions to insert gems to many parts of a statue or even to the aureole of Buddha statues. The crown of Sri Lankan kings bears the marks of having been extravagantly embellished with gems. The elaborate crown worn by Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe (which is kept on display in the National Museum) speaks volumes for the practice of fixing many gems on the crown worn by Kandyan kings such as Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, and king Wimaladharmasuriya.