Ancient graves during pre-Wijeya era found

18 October 2015 12:13 pm

Several more graves were found in the ancient cemetery at Ibbankatuwa in Dambulla that would run as far back as the Pre-Wijeya era, the Central Cultural Fund and the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology revealed.

Senior lecturer of the Post Graduate Institute Ranjith Bandara said it was of significance that the history of the graves would run as far back as the Pre-Wijeya era.
He said clay pots and small vessels were among the findings that contained in the articles used by the dead. He said the finds from the graves, that were about 2600 years old, would lay bare the historical facts relating to the period prior to the advent of Wijeya.

He said he found evidence of funeral rites performed at the burial of the remains.

He said excavation project was launched about a month ago according to a concept the Director General of the Central Cultural Fund and that the cemetery would be conserved and opened for public display.

“We have not yet established the story of Wijeya with historical evidence. However, according to the Mahawansa chronicle a well-developed civilization had existed in the country even before the advent of Wijeya. The history of the cemetery runs as far back to 600BC.” he said.

The excavations were carried out under the supervision of the Office In Charge of the Dambulla Central Cultural Fund Ajith Jayasundera.(Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa)