Human Morphology and Medical Thought in Fifth-Century Sri Lanka

The global history of anatomy demands closer attention across different eras, regions, and intellectual settings, especially reaching hitherto under-examined territories. This paper addresses the issue by reconstructing the knowledge of human morphology that prevailed in Sri Lanka during the fifth century CE, drawing primarily on the Pāli Buddhist Commentaries compiled from early Sinhala exegetical traditions. By systematically organ-ising and analysing these texts through content and thematic analysis, this study reconstructs a coherent account of contemporary anatomical understanding. The findings reveal detailed descriptions of individual organs, composite bodily structures, their respective functions, and structural and functional interrelations. The specificity and consistency of these accounts indicate a level of empirical engagement, including dissection and direct observation. When situated within the broader social, cultural, and epistemic spectrum of early Sri Lanka, these findings suggest that anatomical knowledge formed part of a wider medical and intellectual landscape.