ARCHAEOLOGICAL FINDINGS OPEN NEW CHAPTER – PROF. SOMADEVA
Balangoda excavations prove well organised society existed more than 2000 years ago
Turning a new chapter in the pre-historic Balangoda era, evidence of a more than 2000-year-old well developed human habitat has been discovered by archaeologists during the ongoing excavations in Kirimakulugolla in the Kaltota plateau in Balangoda.
Prof. Raj Somadeva of the Faculty of Archaeology of the Kelaniya University, who heads the team of researchers, said the excavations had been going on for about two weeks in a stateowned land, which is of archaeological importance. “The most important find is a house which has a history of more than 2000 years. We examined the debris of rock pillars lying at the site to find an inscription that bared the fact that Buddhism had been practised even before the advent of Ven. Arahath Mahinda. We discovered tools and equipment used by them. The house we found is a circular building with a grinding stone, debris of several tools and equipment, and a place of worship. I am of the opinion that, it would have been the residence of a leading personality of the race. We discovered an inscription in a rock cave and found the word “Yakka” in the inscription, and it is a clear indication that the area would have been inhabited by the ‘Yaksha’ clan. Obviously a well organised society had prevailed in the country before the advent of Vijeya and Buddhism had been practised even before the advent of Ven. Arahath Mahinda,” he said.
Prof. Raj Somadewa stressed that the continuous research will bring to light many historical facts that would mark a turning point in the history of Sri Lanka and open up vast new fields in archaeological research.