Ancient history
The Maldives was known to the outside world as the source of cowrie shell (cyprea moneta). Centuries ago, the cowrie shell was used in several countries as currency of exchange and as personal adornments.
 
The Maldives was first introduced to the outside world through cowry shells. We can establish that many years before the Christian Era a variety of cowry from the Maldives had been exported to various countries. Some of these cowry shells have been located in parts of China, the Middle East and South Asia. The people of the ancient world knew that the cowries came from islands in the Indian Ocean. We know that in ancient times these cowries were known to be harvested in this region, only in the Maldives.

The next remarkable period is that which corresponds to the Indus Valley civilisation which had declined by about 1400 BC. As the Maldive cowry shell (cyprea moneta) has been found in the ruins of the ancient port of Lothal of the Indus Valley civilisation, we know that cowry shells from the Maldives were used by these ancient people. The geographic coverage of the Indus Valley civilisation included the area of present day Gujarat as well. In traditional times the Gujarati people had sailed to and from the Maldives. Therefore, it is possible that such links had existed even during the time of the Indus Valley civilisation.
 
 

It is likely that the first people to settle in the Maldives were members of Southwest Indian fishing communities. Among those who settled later were travellers who decided to stay on and people who were compelled to stay as their ships were wrecked in the Maldives.

 
 
Some of the ancient chronicles of South India and the Mahavansa of Sri Lanka contain records about the Maldives. According to the Mahavansa, one of the ships that sailed with Prince Vijaya who went to Sri Lanka around 500 BC, went adrift and arrived at an island called Mahiladvipika, which is the Maldives. It is also said that at that time the people from Mahiladvipika used to travel to Sri Lanka.
 

A Roman manual of navigation from the first century AD, Periplus Maris Erithraei mentions islands assumed to be the Maldives. Ptolemy, the famous 2nd century AD Greek astronomer, mathematician and geographer, refers to the Maldives in his Geography.

The archaeological sites at Kaashidhoo, which are among the discoveries in the Maldives to be subjected to scientific inquiry, have been dated to 3rd or 4th century AD. Thus, Buddhism would have been brought to the Maldives sometime before that date. As the Maldives was well known in the region, it is quite possible that when Ashoka, the famous Indian King (265-238 BC) sent out missionaries to various South Asian countries to spread Buddhism, some of them had arrived in the Maldives.

Scientific investigations have revealed that different ruins of Buddhist monasteries dug up in the Maldives date back to various periods. The sites unearthed at F. Nilandhoo were built in the 6th century AD. In the excavation of the site at K. Kaashidhoo, human skeletons were found in the upper layers of the mound. Testing of one of these showed that the person had died in the 10th century AD, before the Maldives converted to Islam.

 
  Evidence that Buddhism prevailed in the Maldives centuries ago. The photos show:

i) Thoddoo Dagoba

 

 
  ii) Part of an idol recovered from the Thoddoo Dagoba
 
  iii) Signs of stupas at the archaeological site at Kaashidoo (dating to circa 300 - 400 AD)
 
  4. The Mauriyan King Ashoka sent missionaries to various countries in the eastern part of the region. It is possible that missionaries at that time came to the Maldives and built monasteries (circa 300 AD).
 
 
  5. A bone of a person who had lived in the 10th century AD. (Similar skeletal remains have been discovered at the archaeological site at Kaashidhoo.