From the historian's notes

Anuradhapura, 412

Sri Lanka · South Asia · March 412 · spring

What it was high

a great Buddhist capital of giant stupas, monasteries and reservoirsthe island's capital since the 4th century BCE

That year

• The Chinese monk Faxian is finishing two years here, copying scriptures at the Abhayagiri monastery to take home 410–412 higha library crossing the sea
• The festival of the Buddha's Tooth: the relic is carried in procession, and Faxian describes the street hung with banners the festival season highthe city's greatest procession
• The great stupas stand finished, among the largest structures in the world ongoing highbrick mountains

Who held it medium

the Anuradhapura kingdomKing Mahanama, as the chronicles name himthe great monasteries, Mahavihara and Abhayagiri, compete for royal favour

Its name high

AnuradhapuraWritten in an early Sinhala form of Brahmi

The date, there medium

around 955 of the Buddhist eraregnal years and the Buddhist eraMonastery gongs and drums; the moon calendar of festival days.

Money low

local coins and imported Roman copperunknownunknown

Weather medium

March: hot and dry, before the inter-monsoon rains

Things

Objectspalm-leaf manuscripts; oil lamps; Roman coins brought by traders; moonstones at temple thresholdsFoodrice; curd and honey; coconut; fish from the reservoirsClothcotton; ochre robesGetting aboutox carts; elephants; on footIn the airjasmine and lotus offerings; lamp oil; dust

What she'd hear

Sinhala Prakrit in the streets; Pali in the monasteries; Tamil among the traders; Faxian's Chinese.

Where she could stand

• the Abhayagiri stupa — a vast white dome on its terrace
• the Tissa reservoir — a great man-made lake supplying the city
• the main street — a city of traders and pilgrims
• the monastery gate — monks in ochre robes coming and going

Researched for this card · confidence high