3,300 year old site found in southern Sri Lanka

In a landmark discovery, an archaeological site believed to be over 3,330 years old, has been found in southern Sri Lanka`s Embilipitiya region by a group of local archaeologists.

The discovery, perhaps the first over three century old site ever found in Sri Lanka, has been uncovered by Professor Raj Somadeva and his team while excavating an area belonging to the Sri Jayabodharama temple in Udaranchamadama.

Grinding stones, painted pots, granite tools and other items were among the findings of the excavations, which are to be completed within next two weeks, the Daily Mirror reported.

The team expects to obtain more information about the village from further excavations.

The ruins of a cemetery had been found there earlier in the Pahalaranchamadama school premises and the archaeologists` team believed that traces of the village that used the cemetery could be discovered from this excavation. The ancient graveyard with advanced techniques that was excavated in 2007 is estimated to date back to 1359 BC.

`The discovery of this site is a landmark in our history. This is perhaps the first time in Sri Lanka that we have found artifacts that are more than 3,330 years old,` the newspaper quoted Somadeva as saying. Excavations are underway on the directions of Somadeva, who is at the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology.

Besides Somadeva, the team comprises of Senior Lecturer Dhananjaya Gamlath of the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology and final year students of the Universities of Kelaniya and Peradeniya. In September last year, a pot containing paddy grains believed to be from the 3rd century BC was discovered in southern Sri Lanka.

It was discovered from the archaeological site of Akurugodawaththa in Tissamaharamaya area. The paddy pot was found at the soil layer that was 4.5 metres below the surface, according to the report.

Foundations, walls, broad brick floors, pillar holes, hearths, pieces of earthen pots, and large earthenware were also found at this historical site. Ruins of a residential complex of noblemen were unearthed recently near the layer of this site, the report said.

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