Belilena Cave
| Belilena Cave | |
|---|---|
| Beli Lena Cave | |
  | |
 | |
| Location | near Kitulgala |
| Coordinates | 7°0′8″N 80°26′8.8″E / 7.00222°N 80.435778°E |
| Height variation | 20 m (66 ft) |
| Entrances | one |
| Features | stalactites, stalagmites, skeletal fossils |
Belilena Cave (
Overview
The part of the cave beyond the lake that fills it a short way from its mouth still remains unexplored. A visit to the site requires the use of a rope or rope ladder.
From 1978 to 1983 the site was scientifically excavated and researched by the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka. Rich
A trade network in salt with occupants of coastal lagoons some 80 km (49.7 mi) away had been established by 30,000 years ago. Rubble foundations that date to 16,000 years before present constitute the earliest evidence of substantial structures in South Asia.[2]
The skeletal fossils of several humans were found in 16,000 year old sediments. These were intensively analysed by an international team of anthropologists and proved to be of great value for the understanding of the physical anthropology of Balangoda man.
Belilena cave occupies a very special place in the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka and research by future generations of archaeologists with more advanced technologies and methods is expected to yield more knowledge. As such, the site has been declared an Archaeological Reserve of the Archaeological Department under the Antiquities Ordinance.[3]
See also
References
- ^ "Belilena Caves-Sri Lanka-Caving in Sri Lanka-Locations in Sri Lanka". Srilankanexpeditions.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2011. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ "WWW Virtual Library: Prehistoric basis for the rise of civilisation in Sri Lanka and southern India". Lankalibrary.com. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
- ^ "PRE- AND PROTOHISTORIC SETTLEMENT IN SRI LANKA". Lankalibrary.com. Retrieved March 6, 2017.
Bibliography
- Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, T. Disotell, W. J. Roertgen, J. Chiment and J. Sherry, Biological anthropology of upper Pleistocene hominids from Sri Lanka: Batadomba Lena and Beli Lena caves, Ancient Ceylon 6: 165-265.
- Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, Siran U. Deraniyagala, W. J. Roertgen, J. Chiment and T. Disotell, Upper Pleistocene fossil hominids from Sri Lanka, American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 72: 441-461, 1987.
- Annual Review of Anthropology: 1980 By Bernard J. Siegel - Page 403 & 416
- [1] Propaedia: outline of knowledge and guide to the Britannica.--[2]-[11] Micropaedia: ready reference and index.--[12]-[30] Macropaedia: knowledge in depth.
- Kenneth A. R. Kennedy, "Fa Hien Cave", in ISBN 0-7619-3029-9)
- Kenneth A. R. Kennedy and Siran U. Deraniyagala, Fossil remains of 28,000-year old hominids from Sri Lanka, Current Anthropology, Vol. 30, No. 3. (Jun., 1989), pp. 394–399.