Saturday, December 28, 2013

Ibbankatuwa ancient burial site, Dambulla, Sri Lanka.

The Kurunegala - Dambulla highway near Ibbankatuwa.

The burial site.

Inside a tomb.

Layout of the tombs.
Ibbankatuwa Burial site
'Ibbankatuwa Burial Site is located near the Dambulla Rock Temple, at the foot of the Talakiriyagama Mountain and it is about three kilometers from Dambulla town. It is the historical cemetery belongs to the Megalithic pre-historic era dated between 750 and 400 BC. The excavations revealed similar features fr'om ten tombs which consist of four stone plates placed in the four sides making a square and a one stone plate to cover it. Personal belongings as “necklaces”, “clay pots” contained human ash, cereal grains, terracotta, carnelian, agate and gilt beads and “gem stones” which are seen in India have been found inside the tombs also. Significant thing of here is that carnelian and agate are not endemic to Sri Lanka but have to import from regions such as the Deccan of South India. Therefore, it implied that about the trade affaires with the India. And the pots which are found from these tombs were used for placing grave goods and indicate post-burial activities such as grave visiting and also the belief in life after death etc. The Ibbankatuwa Burial Site is part of a larger burial complex belonging to the Dambulu Oya region located in the transitional ecological zone and a best travel destination for those who are interest in historical things in Sri Lanka'. (http://www.tour-srilanka.net/mathle-city/ibbankatuwa-burial-site.html)
The road to Ibbankatuwa from Avissawella:-