Henry Parker (author)
Encyclopedia
Henry Parker was a British
engineer
in colonial Ceylon
during the Victorian era
. He was attached to the Irrigation Department from 1873 to 1904. During his work as engineer he developed an admiration for the skills displayed by the ancient Sinhalese
at the time of the construction of their reservoir
s.
Parker is renowned for having studied and compiled the folklore of Sri Lanka
, becoming an authority on the subject.
He was the author of two books:
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
in colonial Ceylon
British Ceylon
British Ceylon refers to British rule prior to 1948 of the island territory now known as Sri Lanka.-From the Dutch to the British:Before the beginning of the Dutch governance, the island of Ceylon was divided between the Portuguese Empire and the Kingdom of Kandy, who were in the midst of a war for...
during the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. He was attached to the Irrigation Department from 1873 to 1904. During his work as engineer he developed an admiration for the skills displayed by the ancient Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
at the time of the construction of their reservoir
Reservoir
A reservoir , artificial lake or dam is used to store water.Reservoirs may be created in river valleys by the construction of a dam or may be built by excavation in the ground or by conventional construction techniques such as brickwork or cast concrete.The term reservoir may also be used to...
s.
Parker is renowned for having studied and compiled the folklore of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, becoming an authority on the subject.
He was the author of two books:
- Ancient Ceylon, London-Luzca & Co., First Published by the India Office (1909), is an account of the aboriginal and early civilization of Sri Lanka
- Village Folk-Tales of Ceylon. A voluminous compilation of folk tales collected and translated by the author.
See also
- Ancient constructions of Sri LankaAncient Constructions of Sri LankaThe Ancient Sinhalese excelled in the construction of tanks or reservoirs, dagobas and palaces, as evident from the ruins which displays a rich variety of Architectural forms.-Irrigation Works:...
- Irrigation works in ancient Sri LankaIrrigation works in ancient Sri LankaThe irrigation works in ancient Sri Lanka, the earliest dating from about 300 BCE, in the reign of King Pandukabhaya and under continuous development for the next thousand years, were some of the most complex irrigation systems of the ancient world. In addition to constructing underground canals,...
- Sri Lankan folklore