Yapahuwa Pinwewa Gal Sohon Kanatta Megalithic Burial Site

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Yapahuwa Ancient Megalithic Burial Site (Gal Sohon Kanatta) - යාපහුව මෙගලිතික ආදි මානව සුසාන භූමිය (ගල් සොහොන් කනත්ත)

Discover the ancient burial grounds of Kondadeniya near Yapahuwa, where stone cist tombs and forgotten ruins reveal a prehistoric landscape dating back over two thousand years, offering a quiet yet powerful glimpse into Sri Lanka’s earliest human heritage.

The prehistoric and historical heritage in the environs of Yapahuwa is preserved in numerous stone caves, rock shelters, inscriptions, graves, and other archaeological remains. One of the lesser-known sites is a stone cist burial ground at Kondadeniya, Yapahuwa, locally referred to as Kondadeniya Gal Sohon Kanatta (stone tomb cemetery).

This site is situated in the village of Pin Wewa, approximately 1.6 km (1 mile) from Yapahuwa and to the southeast of Maho town. The burial ground covers an area of about 5 hectares and lies at an elevation of roughly 240 m above sea level.

Archaeological Survey and Landscape

A survey conducted in 1997 by the Department of Archaeology and the University of Peradeniya recorded around 109 visible burials at the site. The surrounding terrain is largely flat, characterized by minor drainage divides, shallow depressions, a tributary of the Deduru Oya, several small irrigation tanks, and cultivated fields. Three radiocarbon dates derived from charcoal associated with the burials indicate that the site was in use between 420 BCE and 20 CE.

Burial Types and Present Condition

The graves consist primarily of cist burials, along with a smaller number of urn burials. Unfortunately, the site has not been adequately conserved, and today only a few cist burial structures remain visible. These surviving features can easily be mistaken for scattered or random stone slabs.

The position marked on the Google Map below represents only an approximate location of the site.

S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10 and S12) are shown in black circles while charcoal collected levels for 14C dates are shown in rectangles. Calibrated ages are included at 95% probability — Sketch shows the relative position of large and small urn burials (Pots) at the two locations within the excavated area. Location 1 and 2 represent exposed pits covering 6 5 m and 7 6 m areas. The largest urn (Pot 7) is located within a stone cist. Relatively large urns (Pot 15) and other small urns are shown. Locations of pollen analyzed samples (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, S6, S7, S8, S9, S10, and S12) are shown in black circles while charcoal collected levels for 14C dates are shown in rectangles. Calibrated ages are included at a 95% probability

References

Premathilake, R. and Seneviratne, S., 2015. Cultural implication based on pollen from the ancient mortuary complex in Sri Lanka. Journal of Archaeological Science, 53, pp.559-569.

Also See

Pre Historic Burial Sites of Sri Lanka

Map of Yapahuwa Ancient Megalithic Burial Site (Gal Sohon Kanatta)

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