Pahiyangala cave:

Window to pre-history

Story and pictures by Mahil Wijesinghe

The story of ancient Sri Lanka begins with the culture of stones. Call it Stone Age, call it prehistory, call it the time before the dawn of history... whatever the labelling, the life and times of early man, specifically the early Sri Lankan man, is a fascinating study.

We find the early man was not confined to just a single space. He lived everywhere, in the coastal area, in the forests and most prominently in caves.

The Pahiyangala excavations in the 1980 shed some light into the intriguing yet arcane world of the pre-historic man, but it brings up more questions about the Pahiyangala cave, better known as Fa-Hsien's cave, in Bulathsinhala, which belongs to the stone age dating back more than 30,000 years and is known to be the most ancient pre-historic human settlement in Asia.

Although I have visited this ancient site on several occasions, recent newspaper reports which said researchers from the Oxford University studying the skeletal remains were convinced it belonged to a woman between the ages 18 and 22, who had died more than 10,000 years ago, enticed me to visit the cave again.

My memories go back to the latter part of 80s and the many occasions I visited Fa-Hsien's cave, better known as Pahiyangala, especially when there were religious festivals. The multiple visits were courtesy the fact that the cave was in close proximity to where I lived, Botalegama, which was just 17 kilometres away.

The 1980s were a prosperous period for Pahiyangala and adjoining villages because then Finance Minister Ronnie de Mel had initiated many development projects in the area with the help of the Chinese Government, including the initiation of the China- Sri Lanka Friendship Village, which was aimed to build houses in the foot of the Pahiyangala cave temple for the homeless people.

The massive Pahiyangala rock cave is found amidst a 75-acre verdant forest reserve where numerous endemic species of birds and butterflies can be found. Visitors taking the path to the mouth of the cave over a steep flight of 400 stone steps are struck by the awe-inspiring panoramic beauty of the surrounding landscape.

A Buddhist monk welcomes visitors at the entrance to the cave and gives a guided tour, giving details about the archaeological excavations. The cave, which has a wide open space large enough to accommodate more than 500 people at a time, is home to a 15-meter long statue of the reclining Buddha. Adjoining this statue, is another small shrine room where you find a tiny cross-legged Buddha statue covered with a huge cobra figure and murals belonging to the Kandyan period of the 17th or 18th century. It is believed this cave was converted into a Buddhist temple over 200 years ago.

Legend

Legend has it that Fa-Hsien, a 5th century Chinese travelling Buddhist monk, had visited this cave during his sojourn in Sri Lanka. Fa-Hsien who was on his way to Sri Pada (Adam's Peak) is believed to have stayed in the cave for a short period, The probability of this happening is high as there was a pilgrim route to Sri Pada along the river that flow past this cave. The name 'Pahiyangala' is also a reflection of this factor.

Believed to be inhabited by stone aged people centuries ago, the Fa-Hsien's cave is known to archaeologists around the world as one of the most ancient human settlements in Asia. The gigantic cave attracts many visitors including local pilgrims, foreign tourists, archaeological researchers and students, during week days and weekends as an ideal spot to get the glimpse of the historic past while enjoying a leisurely picnic.

The dimensions of the cave are recorded as 285 feet in width and 175 feet in height. Located 400 meters above sea level, the cave rises majestically above the nearby forest covered peaks.

The entry cave, which is semicircular, is not only regarded as the largest cave of Sri Lanka but is also said to be amongst the largest natural rock formation in South East Asia.

Excavation

Archaeologists from the Department of Archaeology, in collaboration with archaeological researchers from the USA carried out the first excavation in the main rock cave of Pahiyangala in 1986. During their excavations, they unearthed a wealth of artefacts, fossils, human skulls and skeletal remains, which have been sent to USA for further research. The huge pit of this excavation is located in the middle of the main cave.

Following the 1986 excavation, archaeologists have continued to research the site from time to time. However, what has emerged as exciting is the discovery of a new skeleton in a new excavation site, carried out in 2012, under the supervision of then Deputy Director General of the Archaeological Department, Dr. Nimal Perera.

The skeleton was among the finds that date back to the pre-historic age. The fact that it was the first time an undisturbed skeleton was found in the cave enabled the Oxford University team to conduct much advanced scientific research; leading to the conviction that full skeleton was that of a woman aged 20-30 years, above five feet in height who would have died 10,000 years ago. It is said the skeleton was the tallest ever found from South East Asia.

Researchers say the excavations revealed many clues to the time frame of the history of Pahiyangala cave, which dates back to 37,000 years. The latest findings will provide vital information to establish the factual period of the human settlement of this pre historic habitation.

At the foot of the Pahiyangala cave is a Buddhist monastery with several Samaneras learning Buddhist doctrine in the Pirivana with the help of the Chief Incumbent.