Heritage

Archaeological Ruins in Vakaneri Reservoir (වාකනේරි වැව තුල පුරාවිද්‍යා නටබුන්)

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Archaeological Ruins in Vakaneri Reservior

These Anurādhapura-period ruins in Vakaneri (Kiran, Batticaloa) are located within the Vakaneri Reservoir bed near the western end of its bund. Exposed during low water levels, the site features four locations with 1-meter-tall standing and fallen stone pillars, alongside scattered pottery fragments indicating ancient human settlement.

These archaeological remains are located inside the Vakaneri Reservoir in the village of Vakaneri within the Grāma Niladhāri Division of Punanai West 209-A, in the Divisional Secretariat Division of Kōrale Pattu South (Kiran) in Batticaloa District.

Access Route

After travelling approximately 8 kilometers (5 miles) along the Oddamavadi–Vakaneri Road, you will reach the ancient Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir. The area containing the archaeological remains is located within the reservoir at the western end of the bund, near the forested area at the upper reaches of the reservoir.

Historical Background

The stone pillars and pottery fragments found at the site display characteristics of craftsmanship associated with the Anuradhapura period.

Location and Nature of Archaeological Evidence

The Vakaneri Wewa Reservoir extends in an east–west direction and is surrounded by forest. The village of Vakaneri is situated on the western side of the reservoir. During periods of low water levels, the reservoir recedes significantly, exposing archaeological remains on the reservoir bed.

At least four locations containing stone pillars approximately 1 meter (3.3 ft) in height have been identified. In addition to the standing pillars, a number of fallen stone pillars can also be observed at these locations.

A large quantity of clay pottery fragments is scattered throughout the area where the ruins are exposed. These remains provide evidence of ancient human settlements associated with the Maduru Oya region.

Geographical Coordinates

The exact location of the site is as follows:

North Latitude: 7°55’57.9″N
East Longitude: 81°25’03.6″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 Archaeological Ruins in Vakaneri Reservoir

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Traveling to the Archaeological Ruins in Vakaneri Reservoir

Route from Batticaloa to Archaeological Ruins in Vakaneri Reservoir

Through: Oddamavadi
Distance: 50km
Travel time: 1.30 hours
Driving directions : see on Google Maps

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