Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir (වාකනේරි වැව)

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Vakaneri Wewa is a 4.21-square-kilometer ancient reservoir in Kiran, Batticaloa, impounded by a 1.4-kilometer earthen embankment. Situated along the A11 road and Maduru Oya, its waters submerge pre-existing Anurādhapura-period settlements and iron ore deposits during high water levels.

Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir is located in the village of Vakaneri, within the Grāma Niladhāri Division of Vakaneri (210), in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kōrale Pattu South (Kiran) in Batticaloa District. The reservoir covers an area of approximately 4.21 square kilometres (1.63 square miles) and is impounded by an earthen embankment measuring about 1.4 kilometres (0.87 miles) in length.

Access Route

When traveling from Naula Junction along the A11 road towards Welikanda, this reservoir is located near the point where the road intersects the railway line, close to the 121 km (75.2 miles) marker.

Historical Background

At the western end of this reservoir are the ruins of several structures dating to the Anuradhapura period. These archaeological remains are situated within an area that is now submerged by the reservoir. It is therefore likely that these settlements existed long before the construction of the reservoir itself.

Location and Archaeological Context

The reservoir area is bounded by the A11 main road and the railway line to the north, while the Maduru Oya flows along its southern boundary and connects with the Punanai Reservoir. This extensive reservoir system encompasses the villages of Mullivaddawan, Vakaneri, Kuda Munaikkal, Madurankerni, and Kulavi Vichchenai.

Within the forested region surrounding the Vakaneri reservoir are several locations containing archaeological remains. The reservoir bund extends along an east–west axis. In certain areas west of the bund, deposits of iron ore can also be identified.

Archaeological Evidence

Within the reservoir’s catchment area, several sites containing ancient ruins and fragments of clay pottery have been identified. These findings suggest that settlements and buildings existed in these locations prior to the construction of the reservoir.

During periods when the reservoir reaches high water levels, many of these archaeological remains become submerged. The presence of structural ruins and pottery fragments confirms the existence of ancient habitation sites that were later inundated following the development of the reservoir.

Geographical Coordinates

The exact location of the site is as follows:

North Latitude: 7° 55′ 50.9″ N
East Longitude: 81° 25′ 55.5″ E

References

Exploration and Documentation Division (Ed.). (2017). පුරාවිද්යා ස්ථාන හඳුනා ගැනීමේ ගවේෂණ වාර්තාව, මඩකලපුව දිස්ත්රික්කය. Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka.

Also See

Map of the Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir

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Travelling Directions to Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir

Route from Trincomalee to Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir

Through: Manampitiya – Welikanda – Punanai
Distance: 62 km
Travel time: 1.15 hours
Driving directions : see on Google Maps

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