Prehistory
Koraveli Ancient Rock Quarry in Kiran (කිරාන් කෝරාවේලි පුරාණ ගල් බිඳුම් ස්ථානයේ නටබුන්)
The ancient rock quarry in Koraveli, Batticaloa, spans a rock formation showing centuries of stone extraction near the Maduru Oya. The southwestern section displays Anurādhapura-period quarrying, while the northeastern side features drill-holed rock slabs from the Polonnaruwa period. A rock-cut pillar foundation stone sits 250 meters north.
Devagirimalei Rock Buddhist Archaeological Ruins in Kiran (කිරාන් දේවගිරිමලේ පුරාවිද්යා නටබුන්)
The Devagirimalei Rock (Uuttumalei) ruins in Kiran, Batticaloa sit atop a 400-meter long forested outcrop. The looted site features a square rock socket, a plain moonstone, stone walls, and numerous scattered brick and pillar fragments that have cascaded down the slopes.
Navalampitty Rock with Prehistoric Evidence in Kiran (කිරාන්හි නාවලම්පිඩ්ඩි ප්රාග් ඓතිහාසික සාධක ගල් පර්වතය)
The prehistoric Navalampitti ruins in Kiran, Batticaloa are located on a large rock outcrop. The habitation site features rugged natural caves used for shelter and rock pools for water, alongside abundant quartz flake deposits discarded from hunting and digging tool manufacturing.
Akkuranai Megalithic Burial Site in Kiran (අක්කුරානයි මෙගාලිතික සුසාන භූමිය)
The Akkuranai Megalithic Burial Site in Kiran is a 1.2-hectare area surrounded by paddy fields. Though plundered by treasure hunters, it features at least six visible graves constructed from irregular stone slabs and numerous ancient pottery fragments.
Muruthtthanai Cave with Indigenous Art (මුරුත්තානෛ ආදිවාසී චිත්ර සහිත ලෙණ)
Deep in the Kiran jungle, this cave features a Brahmi inscription documenting its donation to the Maha Sangha. It also houses well-preserved animal rock art from a later period, believed to have been created by the region’s indigenous Vedda community.
Ihala Kalawella Ulpatha: A Window into Sri Lanka’s Protohistoric Past (ඉහළ කලවැල්ල උල්පත: ශ්රී ලංකාවේ ප්රාග් ඓතිහාසික අතීතය)
Discover Ihala Kalawella Ulpatha, a hidden archaeological gem deep in the Anuradhapura jungles, where ancient cist burials, early iron technology, and layers of human history reveal how Sri Lanka’s first farming communities lived, engineered stone, and shaped the island over 2,500 years ago.
Palippotana Megalithic Burial Site (පලිපොතාන මෙගලිතික සුසාන භූමිය)
Excavations uncovered a variety of grave types, including rectangular cist graves sealed with large stone slabs, rare square cists without capstones, and an exceptionally uncommon form—parallel double orthostats—documented for the first time in Sri Lanka.
Prehistoric Cave Art in Wettambugala Rock Cave
The Wettambugala cave itself is a monumental natural formation—75 meters long and approximately 20 meters high. The paintings span a surface area of about 60 meters in length and 3 meters in height, depicting a variety of subjects: human and animal figures, symbolic motifs, and notably, numerous wild elephants.
Danigala – The Alien Mountain (දානිගල කන්ද)
Located about 27 kilometers from Mahaoya town along the Manampitiya road, Danigala Rock stands in the Kandegama area — a mysterious and striking formation. Also known as the “Alien Mountain” and “Stargate of King Ravana,” this distinctive horseshoe-shaped inselberg was sculpted by centuries of natural erosion and geological processes.
Seethala Wanniya and the Pihilegoda Galge Cave Art (සීතල වන්නිය සහ පිහිලේගොඩ ගල්ගේ ප්රාථමික ලෙන් චිත්ර)
Seethala Wanniya is one of the rocky hills that surround the newly constructed Rambakan Oya Reservoir. The Pihilegoda Galge Cave is one of the largest caves in Seethala Wanniya. It extends about 30 feet in length and is approximately 10 feet tall at the front. The cave was first documented and photographed by the Seligmanns in 1911.
Thambarawa Wewa & Pre Historic Burial Site (තඹරව වැව හා ප්රාග් ඓතිහාසික සුසාන භූමිය)
The Thambarawa Wewa site features Iron Age cist burials and an adjacent settlement. Excavations by Prof. Somadeva revealed compact granite chambers containing funerary urns, charcoal, and glass fragments. These findings confirm early sedentary habitation and ritual practices involving deliberate spatial organization.
Urakanda Petroglyphs (ඌරාකන්ද ප්රාග් ඓතිහාසික සීරුම් චිත්ර)
The natural cave with petroglyphs in Urakada was first discovered by the former Director General of Archaeology, W.H. Wijayapala in 1983. Petroglyphs also called rock engravings which have been achieved using some form of sharp instrument, on the face of a rock or a cave wall. In Sri Lanka, only seven such sites have been discovered.
Hambantota Mahagalwewa Megalithic Burial Site (හම්බන්තොට මහගල්වැව මෙගලිතික සුසාන භූමිය)
Dating to 361–178 BCE, the Mahagalwewa Megalithic Cemetery in Hambantota spans 950 square meters. Excavations revealed 19 cist burials and clay urns containing burnt bones, iron tools, glass beads, and Black and Red Ware pottery. These findings offer vital insights into prehistoric social structures and burial traditions.
Pre Historic Burial Sites of Sri Lanka
Megalithic burials in Sri Lanka predominantly date from 800 BCE to 50 CE. Stone or slab-constructed burial sites are commonly found in the dry zone, with only rare occurrences in the intermediate and wet zones. The grave goods associated with these burials align with the introduction of iron technology to Sri Lanka from India.
Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Burial Site in Maduru Oya Valley
In this Wadamunai (Wadamune) Megalithic Cemetery, scattered across the landscape, lie between 15 to 20 graves. Unfortunately, the peaceful serenity of these resting places has been disrupted by thorn bushes, which have taken root amidst many of the tombs. Adding to the desecration, some graves have fallen victim to the destructive hands of treasure hunters, who have ransacked them in search of valuables.
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Burial Grounds
Gurugalhinna Megalithic Cemetery was initially uncovered and examined in 1896 by R. W. Levers. Subsequently, in the 1970s, Raja De Silva from the Department of Archaeology led excavations at Gurugalhinna. However, the burials at the site have not been scientifically dated.
Ampara Bandaraduwa Megalithic Burial Site (අම්පාර බණ්ඩාරදූව මෙගලිතික සුසාන භූමිය)
The Bandaraduwa Megalithic Cemetery is an ancient pre-historic burial site located in the village of Bandaraduwa in Ampara District, Sri Lanka. This historical site is characterized by a significant number of cist burials.
Siyambaladamana Megalithic Burial Site in Anuradhapura District
Siyambaladamana Megalithic Burial Site is located in Siyambaladamana village in No. 598 Madawala Grama Sevaka division of Palugaswewa Regional Secretariat Dvision in Anuradhapura District of North Central Province. This burial site is well preserved due to its location which has not yet been affected by natural and human activities. There are about 16 burial chambers located in an area of about 03 acres.
Ibbankatuwa Megalithic Burial Site (ඉබ්බන්කටුව ප්රාග්-ඓතිහාසික සුසාන භූමිය)
Ibbankatuwa is an early Iron Age burial ground that has been dated to 750 BC to 400 BC which lies few kilometers before the Dambulla town on the Kurunegala-Dambulla Road.
Kitulgala Beli Lena Pre Historic Site (කිතුල්ගල බෙලි ලෙන)
Kitulgala Beli Lena is a major prehistoric cave in Sri Lanka where the 12,000-year-old skeletal remains of the “Balangoda Man” were discovered. Nestled behind a scenic waterfall, this archaeological treasure offers travelers a fascinating look into ancient human habitation amidst the lush, adventurous rainforest landscapes of Sri Lanka’s wet zone.
