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| The Kurunegala - Dambulla highway near Ibbankatuwa. |
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| The burial site. |
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| Inside a tomb. |
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| 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:-
