The inscription consists of 39 lines engraved on the ruled surface of a stone slab. It was discovered in 1892 by the Archaeological Commissioner (Mr. H.C.P. Bell) a hundred years south of the ‘Cooly Shelter’ at Ram̆bǟva (Rambewa) and subsequently moved to Anurādhapura. Wickremasinghe describes Ram̆bǟva as a well-known village in Kǟn̆dǟ-kōrale at the junction of the two main roads from Anurādhapura and from Mihintale, about nine miles north-east of the former town. The inscription is dated to the first year of the reign of king Siri Saňg-bo Abhā, identified by Wickremasinghe with Mahinda IV. It records a grant of lands and immunities to one Kiliňgu-ra Pirivat Hämbuvan, to be held by him and his descendants for the purpose of supplying oil to illuminate the stone image of the Buddha at the Sacred Bōdhi-tree.

Metadata
Inscription ID IN03076
Title Ram̆bǟva Slab Inscription
Alternative titles
Parent Object OB03056
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Responsibility
Author Don Martino de Zilva Wickremasinghe
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Language සිංහල
Reigning monarch Siri Saňg-bo Abhā
Commissioner
Topic records a grant of lands and immunities to one Kiliňgu-ra Pirivat Hämbuvan, to be held by him and his descendants for the purpose of supplying oil to illuminate the stone image of the Buddha at the Sacred Bōdhi-tree
Date:
Min 975
Max 1025
Comment Basis for dating: intrinsic. The inscription is dated to the first year of the reign of king Siri Saňg-bo Abhā. Wickremasignhe suggests that the biruda Siri Saňg-bo Abhā refers in this instance to Mahinda IV, who reigned from circa 1026 to 1042 A.D. or W. 975 to 991.
Hand
Letter size 2.54
Description Letter size varies from ½ to 1 inch (1.27 to 2.54 cm).
Layout
Campus:
Width 139.7
Height 76.2
Description 39 lines inscribed on the ruled surface of a stone slab. The lines of writing are more or less worn by the action of the weather.
Decoration
Bibliography
References Edited by Wickremasinghe in Epigraphia Zeylanica 2 (1912-27) 64-70, no. 12.
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