The Shovel, the Bicycle, and the City of Polonnaruwa: on my first Archaeology dig

A dream come true, on an Archaeology dig in Sri Lanka’s Archaeology Theme Park: Pollonnaruwa, the glorious Medieval Capital of the Lankan Empire. #trueparadise#

Becoming an archaeologist had always been my dream and together with my like-minded friend Minol Peiris we contacted Dr. Nimal Perera of the Department of Archaeology to get our hands dirty on an archaeological dig. Dr. Perera encouraged us and said that he is currently heading the excavations of the Demala Maha Seya in Polonnaruwa and invited us to join. We selected the second weekend of May for the expedition, as Dr. Perera was unable to make it that weekend he gave us the contact of Mr. Sampath and said for us to go ahead. As there will be no digging on Sunday we planned to reach Polonnaruwa early on Saturday, attend excavations and explore the ancient city on Sunday.

The Demala Maha Seya, situated north of the ancient city of Polonnaruwa is assumed to be a half constructed gigantic stupa with a smaller stupa built on the center of the structure and is believed to have been built by King Parackrama Bahu I. With a base circumference of approximately 600m, studies have shown that had this been constructed it would have been the largest brick structure in the world and with an estimated height of 186m would have been taller than the Great Pyramid of Giza and is far greater in size compared to the Jetevanaramaya in Anuradhapura. Excavations are currently carried out by the Central Cultural Fund.

Teaming up with Minol we arrived at Pettah Private Bus terminal on Friday night and inquired for the Polonnaruwa buses, we were directed to the Kanduruwela bus, Kanduruwela is a large town 4km to the east passing Polonnaruwa on the Batticalo road, one could take this bus and get off at Polonnaruwa junction. With everything set the bus left at 11.45pm.

As instructed by Mr. Sampath we needed to get off at the Buddhimandapaya in Polonnaruwa junction but even though we informed the conductor we realized that we passed the junction and at 5.20am on Saturday morning we arrived at Kanduruwela town. Now we needed a ride back so as no shops were open for breakfast we hopped onto another bus to Polonnarwa junction. Polonnaruwa junction was also dead, we walked up and down looking for a place to have breakfast but found none. There was a bicycle rent shop opened and when inquired he said that one bike for the day was 500/-,  Minol and I considered hiring two to explore the ruins tomorrow. Finally we found a place to have breakfast and as we were finishing Mr. Sampath recognized us and came to greet us. He took us to the  Central Cultural Fund office which was on the other side of the road. There he tried organizing transport for us to the site as it was about 3km from here. Walking to the junction again he stopped a known person on a bike and asked to drop one of us, I got on first and left. Turning off to the right we entered the ancient city area and he dropped me off near a modern temple saying to walk to the back where I would find a foot path and to continue along that to the site.

The path behind the temple leading to the Demala Maha Seya

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I rang Minol and he said he is yet to get a ride and for me to continue. Walking along the path I cried in joy for the wonders I would see, my very first archaeological dig; something which will be my entire life in the future. Walking about 100m down this path there beyond the trees this huge mountain appeared, it was the DemalaMaha Seya, much of it was still covered by the forest which resembles a natural mountain and a small section of the excavated area is covered by sheets.

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At the camp there were two huts, one for storing the equipment with a table outside and the other for resting, the workers were there and getting ready with their tools. There were 5-6 wheel barrows and so many other tools.  The security officer there welcomed me. He told me to explore a bit till Minol comes with Mr. Sampath. Next to the conserved area there was a foot path leading to the top, and it was mind blowing, a massive flat plain on the top with trees and it was hard to believe this was on a stupa. In the center area are the ruins of the smaller stupa and from the top looking towards the ancient city area I could see the pinnacles of the KiriVehera, Lankathilaka and Rankoth Vehera rising above the trees. In the mean time Minol arrived with Mr. Sampath and other university students. He said one lady from the Central Cultural Fund would come soon and explain to us the whole thing. It seems we won’t be doing any digging ourselves. With everything set excavation work began at 8am.

On top of the structure !!!

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.	Path to the top

Base camp

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Center stupa

Quarts bedrock

Center stupa

Test pit

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We then went to start exploring the top again. We just prayed that this day be the longest day of our lives and after coming down we went to where they were currently digging and the lady from the CCF explained to us the whole research.

Mr. Hocart was the first to excavate this place from 1909-1914 on the small stupa on top.  After that an attempt was made in 1984. Then the CCF under took to excavate this in 2014 headed by Dr. Nimal Perera. There are no inscriptions indentifying this as the Demala Maha Seya but only the location suggests it according to the literary sources.  The main objective of the excavation is the proper identification of the site. Identifying this is the most important thing because still no features of a stupa have been identified and as explained by her if one sees a ball in a well, you know it’s a ball or something but one would need to take it out and examine to see what type of ball it really is. This is the reason they are digging in different places. They have divided the structure into 4 sections and are currently excavating the south west quarter in different places.

In excavations many things needs to be looked into, mainly the availability of funds until the conservation and restoration of the monument because once excavated and if not conserved the exposed structure is vulnerable to the elements. During the dig everything is marked and mapped, even the soil removed is measured and everything put into report.

The stupa was said to be built on a quarts mountain but in the center when several test pits were dug,  it was found that there were also many different soil layers filled on top of the quartz bedrock.  The only artifacts found so far have been prehistoric stone tools which have most probably come with the soil when the center was filled.

As a whole the running of an Archaeological dig is an extremely complex task and should be done with great patience and commitment.

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.	The future Dr. Chryshane Mendis; but I would be the kind of archaeologist who would be with the shovel leading the dig by example

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The future Dr. Peiris As well!

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After this we walked around the massive structure. On the eastern side we were surprised to see a reconstructed section with Peshawalalu (the 3 rings at the base of a stupa), when later inquired they said this was done in the 1984 excavations but some believe this was wrongly reconstructed, the structures excavated were not Peshawalalu and that the reconstruction was out of proportion. The rest of the structure was still under thick forest. We couldn’t believe that still in Sri Lanka massive archaeological sites existed like this, still lost to the jungle.

.	My true happiness is being one with nature and history !

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After walking around we went to the top again, there we met a University student who was mapping the excavated portion, we had a chat with him and he explained to us the process. He also spoke about the joy of being an archaeologist, the places one would visit and the freedom of being so close with nature, but also explained about the hardships as well. I guess one really needs to have an undying passion to do something he/she loves while taking the risks if they are to join fields like this. It was 10am and heading down we went again to see the excavations. It was really interesting to see how one by one the ancient bricks were being exposed, but there were tones of soil to be removed first.

We were told that excavations would stop at 11.30am as there will be terrible heat. After lunch we decided to take a walk.  We explored the other routes to the site and at one point we took an abandon jeep track through the jungle to the south and to our amazement came up behind the magnificent Gal Viharaya. This splendid ancient master piece was beyond description, after exploring it we decided to visit Kiri Vehera and Lankathilaka Image House as well.

Ruins along the road to Thiwanka Pilima Geya

The Nelum Pokuna

Wall art on the Lankathilaka

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Walking past the Gal Viharaya we entered the ancient city, it was out of this world, ruins everywhere; this truly is Sri Lanka’s Archaeology theme park. The Kiri Vehera had been painted white recently which took away its beautiful setting among the other ruins. We then went on the magnificent Lankathilake Image house, I had only seen it in pictures but this was mind blowing, the size of it and the state of preservation; it is a miracle that this has survived giving us a valuable insight into the ancient architecture of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. Minol had been here before and showed me that in many places parts of paintings could be seen and it was sad that these were just opened to the elements and I hope the authorities would take necessary action to preserve these. Deciding to cover the rest tomorrow and we returned to camp. Now around 3pm and even though there was not much sun the digging did not continue, the workers were just relaxing around, some playing cards etc. It was sad to see such inefficiency. Having a chat with the lady from the CCF, she was saying the hardships faced by them, that inappropriate people were being appointed and many things neglected and ignored. Basically lack of funds, lack of commitment, interest and love for our heritage and inappropriate appointments were the main problems.

After this we decided to check out Thiwanka Pilima Geya. Walking along the lonely road we just marveled at what we had experienced today. We stopped at the beautiful Nelum Pokuna on the way as well.  And there amidst the thick jungle the Thiwanka Pilima Geya or image house was revealed. This was also well preserved and with a shelter built on top to protect it. Inside this Image house is found one of the largest collection of paintings of the Polonnaruwa era, on every side there was painting which were stunning and with the roof reconstructed we really felt like walking into the past. It is interesting to note that despite the heat outside, the inside was quite cold, just amazing how the ancient architects designed this. When we returned to camp it was around 4.30pm and we were told that accommodation could be given at the security officer Mr. Jagath’s place which was close by. Packing up everything we bid farewell to the Demala Maha Seya and went with Mr. Jagath.  There we told our plans for tomorrow, that we intended to hire two bikes, look for the church and go for mass if possible and then explore the ruins till afternoon. He said he could arrange two bicycles for a reasonable price from a place nearby.

Sunday morning after a wash and a good cup of tea Mr. Jagath gave us directions to the place nearby to hire the bicycles and thanking them we left at 06.30am to get the bicycles; once there we got two bicycles and the owner said to return the bikes to the main gate where his has a stall there. We took the bikes and went as soon as we can to find the church in the town.

The Church of Mary Immaculate Conception is down a road to the left on the New town road. We arrived here at 7.15am and found out that mass is at 8am. After mass we went to the junction to have breakfast. Heading back to Mr. Jagath’s place we thanked them again with a small gift.

At 10am we started our journey of exploration. After exploring the beautiful Rankoth Vehera we rode along the ancient main street to the outer city gate. The feeling was amazing, us riding the bikes along the ancient road and on either side of the road the ruins of ancient trade stalls just took us away into history; this is paradise and I would love to do this every day of my life.    It just marvels me to imagine the splendor of this once glorious city. For a person with a true eye, one day would not be enough to spend at one site!

Riding into the inner city we turned left onto the road leading to the impressive Shiva Devale 02. After this we headed for the sacred quad triangle. This is on an elevated platform from the road and contains the ruins of the Dalada Maligawa, Sathmal Prasadaya, Gal potha inscription, Polonnaruwa Watadage, Thuparama image house, the Hatadage and others. Their state of preservation is remarkable and we spent a long time here.

Moving into the Citadel area we explored only the Palace of King Parackrama Bahu I. The Palace was beyond words, the mightiness of the ruins, in its glory days this 7 storied marvel would have represented the glory of our civilization. We also found plaster with designs still attached to the walls. Having explored the Palace we crossed to the other side to the museum.

A good time was spent here as there were lovely things to see, specially the models of the buildings. The museum was quite informative and we wished we had started from here as it would have given us a clear picture of the ancient city. Then passing the sluice of the Parakrama Samudraya we entered to the palace complex of King Nissankamalla. Now the time was around 2pm sadly our beautiful journey into paradise was coming to an end, handing over the bikes at the main entrance we hopped onto to a Kanduruwela  bus and reaching there we had lunch and headed back to Colombo.

Thus came the end of one journey and the beginning of a new era in our lives, our lives as Archaeologists and this would go down in history for I would always relate my first archaeology dig.

Pollonnaruwa Church

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.	Plastered wall designs of the Royal Palace !! What a sight it would have been in its heyday

The sacred quad-triagle

On the road to Shiva Dewala 02

At the Northern Gate

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THE END