Kondey or Kondē (Dhivehi language: ކޮނޑޭ) is one of the inhabited islands of Northern Huvadhu Atoll, administrative code Gaafu Alifu.
The master carpenters of the iconic Male' Hukuru Miskiy were from Kondey, Ali Maavadi Kaleyfaanu and Mahmud Maavadi Kaleyfaanu.[Mauroof Jameel and Yahaya Ahmad (2016). Coral Stone Mosques of Maldives: The Vanishing Legacy of the Indian Ocean, p. 134. ORO Editions. .]
History
Archaeology
This island has large ruins from the historical Maldivian Buddhist era.
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A ruined Stupa called “Kondey Haviththa” is on the east of the island, about from the shore. It is square and high.
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On the south-west of the island, about from the above, there is another “Haviththa” which is square and high.
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On the southern fringes, about away from the shore there is another “Haviththa” measuring square and in height. It has a depression at the centre which is in diameter and in depth.
Besides the above there are other ruins scattered all over the island. None of them have been properly investigated, although a Makara (sea monster) head in stone was found during
Thor Heyerdahl's expedition. Mr. Muhammad Lutfee is seen holding this Makara head in one of the pictures of Thor Heyerdahl's book. The Makara was a common embellishment in classical Hindu and Buddhist temples.
Geography
The island is south of the country's capital, Malé.
It is a long wooded island located on
Huvadu Atoll's eastern rim.
Demography
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H. C. P. Bell, The Maldive Islands; Monograph on the History, Archaeology and Epigraphy. Reprint Colombo 1940. Council for Linguistic and Historical Research. Male’ 1989
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Skjølsvold, Arne. 1991. Archaeological Test-Excavations On The Maldive Islands. The Kon-Tiki Museum Occasional Papers, Vol. 2. Oslo
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Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. Barcelona 1999,
