Pallemalala
- Here they lived and died -
An accidental find turns out to be an exciting and important archaeological
discovery. Could a grave of stone age people, literally stumbled upon
in the arid area of Pallemalala, at Hambantota reveal that vital missing
link between the mid-stone era and the iron age? Tharuka Dissanaike reports
Several thousand years ago, a group of pre- historic people set up camp
at a dried-up lagoon bed in Hambantota. Here, they lived, hunted and fished
for food and upon death they were buried under the very same ground. They
hunted sambhur, deer and wildboar with crude stone implements and sharpened
bone tools. The meat was roasted over an open hearth -fish and reptilian
meat added to their plate. The bones were ground on a large flat stone
and the marrow extracted. The skins perhaps were dried and made into rough
clothing.
They also enjoyed a hearty meal of shell fish found aplenty in the area,
judging by the millions of shells now found deposited here.
Presently, known as Pallemalala, the area is arid, with non cultivated
land used for cattle grazing and shell mining. In fact it was a shell
miner who first stumbled upon the grave of these stone age people. Of
course, never did he imagine the importance of the well preserved skeletons
that he was unearthing, and the first evidence was smashed under his hatchet.
Later on a schoolboy who noticed the skeletons reported it to his teacher,
who informed authorities in Colombo.
Archaeologists were thrilled with the find. Already at the site they
have unearthed eleven skeletons and excavations are still underway. They
believe there would have been at least 15 people originally dwelling at
this single site- a shell midden (heap) of not very large proportions.
What's more experts believe this is not an isolated spot but the many
shell middens spread around the area could be hiding similar sites. They
have presently identified at least five other sites which could yield
clues to the prehistoric era of the country.
"This site is important because it could possibly reveal a missing
link in archaeological research in this country," W.H Wijepala, Director
Excavations of the Department of Archaeology said. He went on to explain
that evidence of mid- stone age era (mesolithic age) has been uncovered
in excavations done here and then evidence of the iron age which came
thousands of years later. The link between the two periods ( neolithic
age- beginning of farming and cultivations) has not yet been established
in Sri Lanka. Many Archaeologists believe that prehistoric man in Sri
Lanka moved into the iron age directly from mesolithic period.
Major findExact dates for the midden are difficult to give, archaeologists
say, until accurate carbon dating is done abroad. But they consider that
these people lived approximately during the latter part of the stone age
- 5000 to 6000 years ago. The top layer of the midden has also produced
earthenware beads, other signs of life in the iron age. No skeletal remains
were found of this period though.
The lifestyles of the stone age community could not have been any different
from others who lived elsewhere in the world. According to experts there
are striking similarities in the stone tools found anywhere in the world
belonging to the same age. Burial practices too appear to have some resemblance.
The skeletal bodies found in Pallemalala have been buried in a curious
folded position where the knees and elbows had been folded towards the
body in burial. Similar burials in 'folded' position have been unearthed
from sites elsewhere in the world as well. "There has been frequent
migration between the land mass that was Sri Lanka at the time and the
Indian continent, across the Palk Strait," Wijepala said.
Excavations have divided the deposit into several layers. At the very
bottom, some two metres below the surface there is the lagoon bed of putrefying
organic matter. On this the midden is built. Shells in their thousands
have been deposited over centuries to cover a large area.
In the lower shell layer called the habitation floor, the 11 bodies
were found. In the upper area Archaeologists have also uncovered a large
grinding stone and evidence of a fireplace. A large number of stone tools
and animal bones have been found. Experts say that the animal bones look
like they have been discarded after consumption of the marrow. Tools carved
out of animal bone were also found here.
The first excavation was done by the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology
in late September. They conducted what they called "rescue excavation" when
they first heard of the shell mine and were able to retrieve four separate
skeletons smashed up by the miner and seven others intact. All had their
wisdom teeth- they were over 29 years. One female skeleton was retrieved
in a position not keeping with the rest of the burials, and Raj Somadeva
who is co-heading the investigations feels she would have died of starvation
or disease later when the surviving group had migrated elsewhere. In a
curious ritual like manner a human skull and a wild boar head had been
buried together in one place. These have been unearthed in the very position
they lay for further studies.
The Department of Archaeology moved in later and set up a permanent
camp near the site. When The Sunday Times visited the site, Department
staff were busy at their tedious task. With sharp, tiny tools and brushes
they were clearing each layer of the shell midden for clues such as bones,
tools, pottery and any other evidence of these people's lifestyles. An
arduous task but one that has produced a number of interesting finds.
The eating habits of these people were confirmed by the discovery of
deer, sambhur, wild boar and fish ( even shark) bones.
Nimal Perera, Archaeologist at the site said this site is identified
as an open air site, in contrast to other prehistoric sites found in sheltered
caves. According to Mr. Perera, a similar site had been found in the Andaman
islands. "The skeletons have been well preserved due to the presence
of the shell midden,"he said.
Mr.Somadeva working for the PGIAR is convinced that these shells are
remains of what the people had consumed and discarded.
To prove his theory he puts forward certain points. One is the shape
of the midden which is like a heap. Another is that almost all the shells
appear to have been forced opened and their contents eaten. "Most
shells have a peculiar chip on them. And by way of testing we used one
of their own stone tools to force open a shellfish and this left an identical
chip on the shell," he said.
Of course it is yet too early for conclusions. The studies on the site
have only just begun in earnest. The PGIAR has plans of sending charcoal
samples abroad for dating and have already recreated a three-dimensional
midden by the aid of a computer programme. The Department of Archaeology
was expected to conclude their excavations on the site in December but
have now suspended operations due to severe flooding in the area.
With the aid of a computer base in Pallemalala itself, Mr.Perera and
his team analyse the data they have collected, hoping to produce their
report as soon as the excavations are over.
Of course this is not the only instance when prehistoric remains were
found in Sri Lanka. In caves such as the Beli Lena, Dorawaka Lena and
Fa hein, remains dating to back some 40,000 years have been unearthed
by archaeologists. In Bundala, directly south off the site at Pallemalala,
archaeologists have found stone tools and other implements that could
be as old as 125,000 years.
Director, Archaeology Dept. Siran Deraniyagala speaks
Q:What is the significance of the Pallemalala site ?
A: We are looking for evidence of transition between the stone age and
the iron age. That would mean evidence of domesticated plants, animals,
basic pottery stone tools but no iron tools.
Q. Has there been no evidence of this transition or the neolithic period
found before ?
A: There was one suspected site in Dorawaka Kanda.
Another skeleton found in Mantai was dated 1800 B.C considered to be
the tail end of the mesolithic period, but at the site we also found copper
workings. So there is doubt whether this could represent a transition
phase.
Q:What is meant by the term "Balangoda man"?
A: Numerous human remains that have been found in the country largely
belong to the mesolithic period. These people are commonly categorised
as the Balangoda man, as they bear similarities.
Q:Where have the oldest human remains been found in the country?
A: The skeletal parts found in the Fa-hein cave have been accurately
dated to a period between 38,000 - 40,000 years. But the oldest habitation
sites found were in Bundala and Pathirjawela, where the dune layers were
dated according to sea level fluctuations. The Pathirajawela site dates
back some 125,000 years and the Bundala site at least 80,000 years. Here
stone tools have been found. According to these dates the sites are considered
to belong to the mid-paleolithic period.
Q:Would you put a date on the Pallemalala site ?
A: There is no evidence yet to accurately predict a date. But it could
be believed that the skeletons are around 5000 years old. By January we
should have dated the site.
Sunday Times
- 30th November 1997
Created July 28, 2007
Updated
April 10, 2009
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