PRE-HISTORY

PRE-HISTORY During the last one million years, when humans are known to have existed in various parts of India, Sri Lanka was connected to the sub-continent on numerous occasions. The rise and fall of sea level (due to cold/warm fluctuations in the global climate) determined the periodicities of these connections, the last separation having occurred at ca. 7000 BP. There is secure evidence of settlements in Sri Lanka by 130,000 years ago, probably by 300,000 BP and possibly by 500,000 BP or earlier.  Related Articles: 1) Early Man and the Rise of Civilisation in Sri Lanka: the Archaeological Evidence 2) A Book: The Prehistory of Sri Lanka: an Ecological Perspective 3) Prehistoric basis for the rise of civilisation in Sri Lanka and southern India 4) ARCHAEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF TECTONIC ACTIVITY (AND TSUNAMIS) IN SRI LANKA 5) Prehistoric and early historic burial sites of Lanka 6) The Lost Continent of Lemuria Ancient Chinese Ceramics in Sri Lanka
A significant collection of ancient ceramics ware from the periods of six Chinese dynasties has been unearthed in Sri Lanka. The earliest ceramics are from the period of Tang Dynasty (618-906A.D).  Ceramics remains from North Song, South Song, Ming, Yuan, and Qing dynasties and ancient Chinese coins have been discovered. Chinese inscriptions found in some of the ancient ports of Lanka provide valuable information on ancient Sino -Sri Lanka relationships and archaeological and historical values of Chinese ceramics found in Sri Lanka.   NASA Images find 1,750,000 year old man-made bridge between India and Sri Lanka Space images taken by NASA reveal a mysterious ancient bridge in the Palk Strait between India and Sri Lanka. The recently discovered bridge currently named as Adam´s Bridge is made of chain of shoals, c.18 mi (30 km) long.This information is a crucial aspect for an insight into the mysterious legend called Ramayana, which was supposed to have taken place in tredha yuga (more than 1,700,000 years ago).In this epic, there is a mentioning about a bridge, which was built between Rameshwaram (India) and Srilankan coast under the supervision of a dynamic and invincible figure called Rama who is supposed to be the incarnation of the supreme.  Guharamaya: A cave of stone age man About four miles to the north of Rambukkana,  is a curious structure of stone.  It is called by local folk, Maliyadeva Guharamaya, the dwelling of the last great Initiate of Buddhism in our island. The dolmen at Padavigampola is the only known example in Ceylon of structural work by Stone Age man.  The ports of ancient Sri Lanka: Jambukola and Mahatittha Jambukola and Mahatittha are two ports frequently alluded to in the Mahavamsa unfolding the earliest historical eras of the Island. Presumably the origin of these ports are not datable, however, it could be assumed without any predilection, that they were in existence long before the colonization of the Island by Aryans in the sixth century BC.   Related Articles: 1) Godavaya: glorious harbour in the maritime Silk Route 2nd century AD 2) Sea Ports in ancient Sri Lanka 3) Ancient ports of Sri Lanka Pallemalala discovery:  A major archaeological breakthrough on Lanka's pre-historic culture This follows the discovery in late 1997 of a shell midden containing the skeletal remains and implements of stone age man in Pallemalala in the Hambantota district. The site, which may roughly be dated to about 4000 B.C. has furnished archaeologists with sufficient material to undertake a somewhat detailed study of this type of man and his culture. Preliminary observations indicate that this stone-age population are genetically related to the Veddahs with whom they share many physical characteristics and cultural traits.  Related Articles: 1) Pallemalala: Several thousand years ago Here they lived and died 2) Walallawita: A 28,000 years old village Humans lived in the Walallawita region as far back as 28,000 years ago. Unexcavated caves belonging to the Pahurakanda temple bear evidence to this, according to expert archaeologists. Arankale has become an archaeological site, a biological hotspot and a garden of medicinal plants subject to the changing character of nature. The sight takes you 800 years back, when Arhath Maliyadeva, the last Arhath of Sri Lanka, spent his time meditating at Arankale. Huge trees, creepers and stone pillars scattered around Arankale speak of an intriguing civilisation, a bygone era, while rare species of insects, found in abundance, tell of a rich, biological heritage. Archaeological eminence of the Ramba Vihara - A landmark in the contemporary history of Sri Lanka, Maha Nagakula was the capital of medieval Sri Lanka in 11th century AD. The Ramba Vihara was the temple of the Maha Nagakula city where a large number of artifacts have been found, leading to research studies The Ramba Viharaya was the Royal Temple. It was also the venue where King Vijayabahu I arrived at in the year 1055 and stayed for 15 years.   Moonstones: first in a flight of steps leading to a Buddhist place of worship The Sinhala for the moonstone is Sandakadapahana (Sanda-Moon, Kada-Half, and Pahana-Stone). It is a semi circular slab of hard granite, gneiss or limestone, depending on ready availability and is the first in a flight of steps leading to a Buddhist place of worship. These are richly decorated in concentric semi circular bands of low relief carvings of flowers, creepers, birds and animals. Many scholars regard moonstones as some of the finest examples of the ancient Sinhalese artists, which is the reason for reference to them in the Mahavamsa itself. Ancient clay stamp seals and sealings of Sri Lanka: The world's oldest clay stamp seal had been unearthed in 1990 in the ancient Mesopotamian city of Ur. This city was situated in Southern Iraq along the river Euphrates, below present day Baghdad. The seal is attributed to a king of the 1st dynasty of Babylon circa 2550 BC. A clay sealing 32x30 mm bearing the legend 'Maharaja Gamini Tissaha Devanampiya' in Nagari Script was found by a villager cultivating his land in Akurugoda in Tissamaharama in 1989. It is attributed to king Saddhatissa 77 - 59 BC.  Archeological remains in Sri Lanka Locating places mentioned in ancient chronicles is not an easy task. Where there is no scientific way of locating them on the ground except on the basis of physical evidence of stone inscriptions in situ or other archaeological evidence: often their locations have been based on informed gushes depending on the knowledge of the interpreter, but have not always stood the test of time. Related Articles: The lost cities of Ruhuna Tissamaharamaya - the modernised monument of Magama The Buried Kingdom of Kotte Yapahuwa -The Chinese connection Mahavamsa, Mahavihara and Mahayana

Maritime Archaeology in Sri Lanka
Maritime archaeology Sri Lanka Sri Lanka is strategically located between Arabia and East Asia, at a natural crossroads of navigational routes, and has been a centre of trade and cultural exchange since ancient times. Sri Lanka's seafaring history, and the archaeological riches of her land sites, suggest that her underwater sites may prove comparably fascinating.A Maritime Archaeology Unit has been formed under the Mutual Heritage Centre, managed by the Central Cultural Fund in cooperation with the Amsterdam Historical Museum & the University of Amsterdam, and sponsored by the Netherlands Cultural Fund. The first major project is the excavation of the Avondster, one of several Dutch East Indiamen wrecked in and outside the harbour at Galle. (Go to MaritimeLanka) Dutch sailing ships of those seafaring days ( It was only recently that Galle was twinned with the beautiful city of Velsen in Holland. In the olden days, Galle received regular visits of Dutch sailing ships known as jachts belonging to the VOC. In fact, several VOC shipwrecks are known to lie at the bottom of the Galle harbour. According to Lieutenant Commander Somasiri Devendra, a Marine Archaeologist involved in a joint Sri Lankan-Dutch-Australian effort in maritime archaeology to study and excavate VOC-era shipwrecks, there are as many as 26 underwater archaeological sites including five ships somewhat larger than the Duyfken lying below the shores of Galle. ) Dutch Waterways in Sri Lanka ( Having established Colombo as their capital the Dutch tried to grow paddy in the Muthurajawela marshes, but found, as the kings had done before them, that changing tides inundated the fields with sea water. Therefore, around the 18th century, the Dutch set up the structures, dams and water cuts which enhanced and developed the old system of waterways to siphon out salt water from the fields and transport cinnamon in barges to the nearest port. )		Salvage of 'De Avondster' The Avondster was originally an English ship, captured and modified by the Dutch, relegated after a long career to shorthaul coastal voyages, and wrecked in 1659 while at anchor in Galle harbour. She lies close to shore, in only 5 metres of protectively murky water.She was captured by the VOC in 1953 and was renamed "Avondster". On the fateful night of June 23, 1659, when she was loading cargo for India anchored at Black Fort, Galle, she slipped her anchor, drifted off in the perilous rocky area and sank in the soft sand before anything was done. Galle- A Port City in History Papers from the Seminar - Edited by Jeremy Green & Robert Parthesius Galle - the historic port town The port was in use in pre-Christian times, but gained in importance after the 12th century. By the 14th century it was arguably the most important port in the country, and it retained this preeminence until 1873 when an artificial harbour was built in Colombo. Ship graffiti at Natha Devale in Kandy The graffiti are found on the walls of a desecrated shrine located at the Natha Devale complex in Kandy. This complex, has a special significance in relation to the Kingdom of Kandy, the last independent kingdom of Sri Lanka, which came under British rule in 1815. Waterways of Serendib The system of canals dates back to the time of King Vira Parakrama Bahu VIII of Kotte, the country"s capital for some time in the 15th century. The canals led to Negombo on the Western Coast of Sri Lanka, then a busy seaport and there is evidence that countries such as China, Burma, Rome and Greece traded with the rulers of Lanka at that time.