The Mantai Diaries

This book comprises John Carswell´s three diaries about his excavations in Mantai, Sri Lanka, in the years 1980, 1982 and 1984, which came to a tragic end with the progress of the the civil war that started in 1983. As a day by day record, the diaries contain the details of the persons involved and their interaction with each other, the financing of the excavations, and even what was eaten – (rice and curry) and drunk (for instance Scotch, arak and beer) and under what circumstances.