Economy Jaffna Kingdom

a setu coin

the economy of kingdom exclusively based on subsistence agriculture until 15th century. after 15th century, however, economy became diversified , commercialized became incorporated expanding indian ocean. ibn batuta, during visit in 1344, observed kingdom of jaffna major trading kingdom extensive overseas contacts. kingdom s trades oriented towards maritime south india, developed commercial interdependence. non-agriculture tradition of kingdom became strong result of large coastal fishing , boating population , growing opportunities seaborne commerce. influential commercial groups, drawn south indian mercantile groups other, resided in royal capital, port, , market centers. artisan settlements established , groups of skilled tradesmen—carpenters, stonemasons, wavers, dryers, gold , silver smiths—resided in urban centers. thus, pluralistic socio-economic tradition of agriculture marine activities, commerce , handicraft production established.

jaffna kingdom less feudalized other kingdoms in sri lanka, such kotte , kandy. economy based on more money transactions transactions on land or produce. jaffna defense forces not feudal levies; soldiers in kings service paid in cash. king’s officials, namely mudaliayars, paid in cash , numerous hindu temples seem not have owned extensive properties, unlike buddhist establishments in south. temples , administrators depended on king , worshippers upkeep. royal , army officials salaried class , these 3 institutions consumed on 60% of revenues of kingdom , 85% of government expenditures. of kingdom s revenues came cash except elephants vanni feudatories. @ time of conquest portuguese in 1620, kingdom truncated in size , restricted jaffna peninsula had revenues of 11,700 pardaos of 97% came land or sources connected land. 1 called land rent , called paddy tax called arretane.

reverse of setu coin setu legend in tamil

apart land related taxes, there other taxes, such garden tax compounds where, among others, plantain, coconut , arecanut palms grown , irrigated water well. tree tax on trees such palmyrah, margosa , iluppai , poll tax equivalent personal tax each. professional tax collected members of each caste or guild , commercial taxes consisting of, among others, stamp duty on clothes (clothes not sold privately , had have official stamp), taraku or levy on items of food, , port , customs duties. columbuthurai, connected peninsula mainland @ poonakari boat services, 1 of chief port, , there customs check posts @ sand passes of pachilaippalai. elephants southern sinhalese kingdoms , vanni region brought jaffna sold foreign buyers. shipped abroad bay called urukathurai, called kayts—a shortened form of portuguese caes dos elephantess (bay of elephants). perhaps peculiarity of jaffna levy of license fee cremation of dead.

not payments in kind converted cash, offerings of rice, bananas, milk, dried fish, game meat , curd persisted. inhabitants had render unpaid personal services called uliyam.

the kings issued many types of coins circulation. several types of coins categorized sethu bull coins issued 1284 1410 found in large quantities in northern part of sri lanka. obverse of these coins have human figure flanked lamps , reverse has nandi (bull) symbol, legend setu in tamil crescent moon above.