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Ibbankatuwa Ancient Burial Grounds- Ibankatuwa; where our ancients rest -
About three kilometers before Dambulla at Ibbankatuwa on a shady road that leads to the Ibankatuwa wewa is found a cist burial ground or a resting place of some of our very ancients. This is one of the several ancient burial sites that have been discovered in Sri Lanka believed to be from the pre historic and proto historic periods of Sri Lanka.. These ancient burial sites have revealed two distinct burial customs. Urn burials, where the dead were placed in huge urns and interred and cist burials where the ashes of the deceased were interred in large tombs hidden under the ground. According to Archeological research pre historic period of Sri Lanka ranges from ca 250,000BP - 1,000 BC. The transition period between the end of the pre historic period and the commencement of the historic period is known as the proto historic era According to historic and archeological research the proto historic iron age period of Sri Lanka was a result of an extension and fusion of specially a South Indian culture that was acquainted with the use of iron, black and red pottery, paddy cultivation and domestication of horse. Proto historic artifacts have been found from Anuradhapura (900 – 800 BC) Ibbankatuwa (600 – 400 BC) and Yapahuwa (300 BC) A systematic burial system was one of the distinctive features of the proto historic period. Excavations at the Ibankatuwa site has revealed ritual practices and artifacts belonging to the proto historic period. These include cist burials and a crematory. The findings record that the Ibbankatuva complex covers an area of about 1 square km and contains 42 clusters of cist tombs. It has been estimated that each cluster contains about 10 tombs. A number of these tombs were found intact, with the capstones in place. Large terra-cotta urns containing cremated remains and grave goods have been found in many of the tombs. Cremated remains have also been found within the cists as well as in the area between the cists. It is recorded that the grave goods found included a variety of pottery, iron, copper and gold artifacts. Bead material made of onyx, agate, carnelian, quartz glass and terra-cotta have also been found. Some of these it is supposed may have been imported. Thus indicating , that the Ibbankatuva people had established trade relations with the foreign lands. Scholars believes that the excavations at Ibbankatuva revealed a possible distinction on a Socio-economic basis. Accordingly the largest cist burial excavated at Ibbankatuva has yielded gold and imported beads, besides a symbol inscribed on the capstone while smaller burials (moderate-sized cists) have revealed less pots than those of the larger burial as well as terra-cotta beads probably made locally and iron and copper. Yet another burial at Ibbankatuwa has revealed a crematory containing merely the human ashes. It is also believed that the Ibbankatuva dwellers may have engaged in agricultural activities including rice cultivation. The discovery of a small artificial reservoir to the east of the cemetery, is quoted as evidence. Further, a few husks of edible rice have been found at the site. Scholars also believe that there may have been a connection between the cemetery and the cave complex at Dambulla situated a short distance of 3 km from Ibbankatuva. The caves are known to be amongst the early Buddhist monastic settlements. Some caves contain inscriptions of an very early period and have been dated to 3rd century B.C. - 1st century A.C. It is interesting to visit the site at Ibbankatuwa, although devoid of huge and impressive edifices. Yet sites like Ibbankatuwa have shed new light on the island's prehistory and early history. by Kishanie S. Fernando
Updated
March 19, 2007
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