Maldives

Main article: History of the Maldives

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Western interest in the archaeological remains of early cultures on Maldives began with the work of H.C.P. Bell, a British commissioner of the Ceylon Civil Service. Bell was shipwrecked on the islands in 1879, and returned several times to investigate ancient Buddhist ruins. Historians have established that by the fourth century A.D., Theravada Buddhism originating from Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka) became the dominant religion of the people of Maldives. Some scholars believe that the name "Maldives" derives from the Sanskrit maladvipa, meaning "garland of islands."

British: The word British has several different uses. See the article on Britain for more details on the development and use of the word Britain....

Commission: In law a commission is a patent which allows a person to take possession of a state office and carry out official acts and duties. Although the term commissioned officer is a military term, civilian officers of the government such as judges, justices of the peace, marshals, and cabinet ministers al...

1879: 1879 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar)....

Maldives related Images and Photos (experimental)

Jetty Maldives	Island Maldives North Indian Ocean	Archipel des Maldives	Island Beach Maldives North Indian Ocean
Fihalhohi Island Maldives	South Male Atoll Maldives	Small Fishing Boat (Dhoni) in the Crystal Clear Waters off the Maldives Maldives	Aerial View of Male Airport Male Maldives
Woman Snorkelling Kurumba Island North Male Atoll Kaafu Maldives