Sinhala Lith Digit Three

It represents three in the Sinhala Lith Illakkam system. Its place sets its decimal value; zero marks an empty place.

Lith Illakkam served astrology: horoscopes, ephemerides (tables of celestial positions), and some numbering in books made from palm leaves. A 2025 study places the oldest manuscript in its sample in the 16th century—not the numeral’s first appearance—and discusses Lith Illakkam alongside Sinhala Illakkam and the later Pansal Hodiya numeral system.

Why does ෩ look like a letter? Lith Illakkam builds numerals from Sinhala letters and vowel signs. Historical descriptions propose a line across numerals to distinguish them from letters; it is not part of ෩’s basic form.