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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as the mercenaries of the later invaders like Chan rabhnu
probably established settlements in parts of the North-central
Province. The Clavawa has references to Sinhalese Vanni rinces
ruling in Rj raha in the thirteenth century. Probably there
were also Vanni chieft ins of the Taniils in this area at that
time. It is difficult to determine with t e evidence at our
disposal how extensive or strong the new Dravidian settle ents
were in the thirteenth century. The North-central Province was
lar ely abandoned after the thirteenth century by both Tamils
and Sinhalese and only a few pockets of Tamil and Sinhalese
settl ments seem to have been left. In the thirteenth century
the Dravidians were probably scattered all over the province in
small groupá. These settlers have not left behind Tamil inscriptions
or Dravidian-style temples. The only evidence of their
settlement is found in the local nomenclature. The disa earance
of the earlier Sinhalese names s eaks both for a su den and
a violent occupation of the area by the forei ners as well as
for settle ent by Tamils after the total abandonment of the
area by the earli r settlers. Th retention of the Taniil na es
by the resent-day opulation which is largely Sinbalese- eakin ,
shows that the Ta is, howev r small in number, bad continu d
to live in this province till the ti e of the Sinhale e resettlement-
1. .C. . •, I, pt. , pp. 713-71k.