113992242-Dravidian-Settlements-in-Ceylon-and-the-Beginnings-of-the-Kingdom-of-Jaffna-By-Karthigesu-Indrapala-Complete-Phd-Thesis-University-of-London-1965

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thirteenth century. There is room, however, for a small margin
of error on either side.
The other difficulties in the use of archaeological
materials are mainly those concerning the identification of the
aiva and Vaiava temples of this period. This is due to the
transformation of some of these temples into Buddhist institutions
and vice versa in the course of time. In areas where Tamil
settlers have been assimilated to the Sinhalese population or
where resettlement by the Sinhalese took place after the sites
had been abandoned by Tamils, hiva and Vair&va temples have
often been converted to Buddhist dv.les. This appears from the
architectural style of the buildings or from the distinctively
aiva and Vaiava finds in them A similar conversion, perhaps
on a greater scale, has occurred in the areas where Tamils have
established permanent settlements. As we shall see later, by
far the largest number of such structures belong to the period
2
after the twelfth century. The date of such converted temples
can Only be ascertained roughly with the help of earlier
Sinhalese inscriptions found on their architectural parts or
of the style of the buildings. In some cases stones and pillars
1. Cf., A.S.C.A.R. for 1911/12, p. 8.
2. See infra,