In this short book Professor Gunawardana suggests a revision of the traditional periodization of Sri Lanka's history. He argues that the dominant divisions of Sri Lankan history are overly simplistic, focusing on dynastic changes, rather than larger social ones. He outlines a reformed understanding of periods of the Island's history, beginning with the 'period of the chiefdoms'. He then moves on to the period of the early state, power sharing state and the development of hydraulic civilization, the period of multiple kingdoms, the besieged kingdoms, the period of the colonial state, and national independence and the period of the post-colonial state