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IBBANKATUWA BURIAL SITE

Ibbankatuwa ancient burial ground lies five kilometres before the Dambulla town on the Kurunegala-Dambulla Road. The site is about half a kilometre down the road next to an easily visible signboard. The site is open from 8.00 am to 5.00 pm. You have a purchase a ticket to visit this place. To reach the place, you will walk along an unusual fence made with wooden posts.

This Burial Ground, the area where the tombs have been found is about 15x15 metres. About 10 tombs have been unearthed and each tomb is separated by four stone slabs and covered by another slab on the top. This well-preserved early iron age burial ground has been dated to 750 BC to 400 BC, but very nicely planned.

Three burial sites have been excavated so far. These excavated remains date back to 500 BC as proved by carbon dating techniques. Excavations have revealed that each tomb containing personal belonging such as clay pots, beads, necklaces, etc, similar to the practices in ancient Egypt pyramids. The gemstones found in some necklaces are only found in India indicating links to India during this time. Some of the pottery articles are left within or around the tombs just as they had been found during archaeological excavations.

Despite this well laid out burial grounds, no proof of any settlement in this area has been found. In contrast Anuradhapura was a highly populated town exceeded over 50ha (125 acres) in 700-600 BC but no Early Iron Age cemetery which can even remotely linked has been found. Thus, it is speculated that this could belong to a small special group of people who lived in this area.

The site was developed in to a tourist attraction in 2017 and was formally open to the public. The burial sites are neat and clean, surrounded by neatly made up fences with wooden posts. The site is in the middle of a nice village. The preservation efforts are still on-going.

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