Batadomba Lena Cave – Ratnapura
Description
The Batadomba Lena Cave Temple, also known as Diva Guhava archaeological site, holds testimony of occupancy from as early as 8,000 years BCE. It is one of the sites whose discoveries support the "Out of Africa" hypothesis, according to Professor Paul Mellars, a Cambridge University paleontologist. Among the evidence of Balangoda Man he unearthed at the site were stone accessories defined as arrow - or spearheads and nicely shaped and perforated pebbles made from ostrich eggshell fragments. One particular piece of an ostrich eggshell, carved with a distinctive criss-cross motif, has also been discovered.
Batadombalena Cave has an area of approximately 15 m × 18 m × 24 m.
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History of Batadomba Lena
The Batadomba Lena is a place of great historical significance, and the foremost primordial fossil of modern anthropoids in South Asia has been discovered in this cavern. In 1938, Dr P.E.P. Daraniyagala, the Director of the Sri Lanka Museum Department, conducted the first excavation in Batadomba Lena. Since then, the Department of Archaeology has conducted several excavations based on the information provided by the villagers.
Batadomba Lena has two caves, "Maha Lena" (large cave) and "Kuda Lena" (small cave), located on a giant rock that rises about 78m tall. The rock can be considered a stretch of caves spanning approximately 500m, and the two caves on the ends are more significant than the others. The cave on the right is the largest, measuring about 28m long, 12m wide at the face, and 8m wide at the back. "Maha Lena" is spacious enough to shade more than a thousand people.
Dr S.U directed the excavations conducted in 1979, 1980, and 1981. Daraniyagala the Assistant Commissioner of Archaeology at that time. During the excavations, a fossilized skeleton of a woman and several tools used by people living in the Stone Age were discovered on the left wall of "Kuda Lena".
The Balangoda Apeman
Batadomba Lena cave is connected to the Balangoda Apeman or Balangoda Manawaya. Anatomically modern, prehistoric human remains discovered in Sri Lanka are called Balangoda Man, whose Mesolithic " Balangoda Culture" was first identified in sites near Balangoda.
Scientists estimate that the Balangoda Man had a height of 174 centimetres for males and 166 centimetres for females. They have dense cranium bones, conspicuous brow ridges, depressed cheekbones, heavy jaws, and short necks. In addition, the canines are incredibly enormous.
The Balangoda Man's toolkit is distinguished by geometric microliths, consisting of tiny (less than 4cm long) fragments of quartz and (rarely) chert fashioned into stylized lunate, triangular, and trapezoidal shapes. According to S. U. Deraniyagala, Former Director-General of Archaeology in Sri Lanka, geometric microliths have traditionally been regarded as the defining characteristic of the Mesolithic period, which was first characterized in Europe. Europe's geometric microlithic tradition dates back to approximately 12,000 B.P. The discovery of such implements as early as 31,000 B.P. at Batadomba Lena and other sites, such as the two coastal sites in Bundala and Beli-Lena, was unexpected.
The Occurrence of Marine Shells
The occurrence of marine shells in inland sites such as Batadomba Lena is an intriguing discovery. It suggests an extensive network of contacts between the coast and the hinterland during the time of the Balangoda Man. However, how these shells ended up so far inland is still a subject of debate among scholars.
One theory is that the Balangoda Man travelled to the coast to collect the shells for personal adornment or trade with other groups. Another possibility is that the shells were brought inland by floods or other natural phenomena. However, the fact that these shells were found in large quantities and at multiple sites suggests they were deliberately transported inland.
The discovery of these marine shells highlights the complex nature of human behaviour and culture during the time of the Balangoda Man. It is clear that these early humans were not isolated and that they had contact with other groups and regions. However, it also raises questions about the nature of their trade and exchange networks and what other goods and materials were traded besides shells.
How to reach Batadomba Lena caves
Batadombalena caves are located in the Kuruwita area of Sri Lanka. To reach the caves, you can follow these steps:
- First, you need to get to Kuruwita town. You can take a bus or a train to reach Kuruwita.
- From Kuruwita, you can take a tuk-tuk or a taxi to reach the Batadombalena cave site. The caves are located about 5 km from the town.
- Once you reach the site, you must buy a ticket to enter the caves. The ticket price may vary depending on your nationality and age.
- After buying the ticket, you must follow the marked trail to the caves. The trail is about 1 km long and is steep in some places.
- Finally, you will reach the entrance of the caves. It would help if you climbed downstairs to enter the cave system. It is recommended to bring a flashlight as the caves are dark and may be slippery.
It is important to note that Batadombalena caves are a protected archaeological site, and visitors are expected to follow specific rules and regulations while visiting the site.
