ROCK PAINTINGS AND ENGRAVING SITES IN SRI LANKA
BY RAJ SOMADEVA
PUBLISHED BY THE POST GRADUATE INSTITUTE OF ARCHAEOLOGY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF KELANIYA 2012
REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE
E mail: hemantha.situge@gmail.com
Rock Paintings & Engraving
Sites in Sri Lanka by Prof. Raj Somadeva published by the Post Graduate
Institute of Archaeology (PGIAR) of the University of Kelaniya was launched in
the latter part of last year is a monumental treatise that covers wide gamut on
rock paintings and engravings sites (RPE) in Sri Lanka that hitherto remained systematically
and scientifically unrecorded. The book is dedicated to emeritus Professor
Senake Dias Bandaranayake who inspired Prof. Somadeva in many ways.
This magnum opus falls into two chapters.
First chapter the project contains fifteen parts. It is replete with 129
figures, seventeen sites are elaborated with photographs. The Rock Paintings
& Engraving sites project was funded by the Ministry of Culture & Art
Affairs. The Second chapter is co-authored by Profs. Wasantha S. Weliange and
R.A.L. Osborne entitled “Some Biological Aspects of Conservation and management
of Sri Lankan cases”, which contains 12 figures, 4 maps and sixteen plans.
The chapter one falls into fifteen
parts. The first nine are viz: Preamble, Mystery of Research, Documentation,
methodology, study of RPE a prolonged pressimism. Prehistoric hunter gathers
and Vedda Aborigines, Physiographic context, The contents. Technology, The
tenth part Signs Symbols and Metaphors reading the icons are categorized into
these parts. They are: Why Colours ? Intertexuality Vs. Intericonocity and
“Dots for water” . The eleventh to fifteenth parts of the book are : Artistic quality,
The lines: Non Figurative Intricacy Dating, Summary and The Sites. There are
fifteen sites that are richly illustrated, photographically documented in this
magnificent systematic study on RPE’s. The chapter one contains a useful
account of references that is used in writing in the said account.
The co-authored chapter two
comprises into nine parts. They are: Introduction, Caves and rock shelters,
sunlight in caves, microbial world in caves, caves as underground biological
hotspots, Sri Lanka caves. Caves painting or rock art, Threats to the prehistoric
paintings and scientific study of Sri Lanka’s caves. The chapter two also
contains a separate account of references utilized in the said text. The entire
monumental treatise runs into 236 pages. The project RPE whilst the research
and photography is done by Raj Somadeva himself Nayomi Kekulawala as his
associate together with the field team has shouldered this tedious task. They
are D. Gamlath, I.M. Indika, S. Chandrakumara, K. Edirisinghe, A Samanmalee, P.
Ranasinghe, D. Jayaratne and A. Tilakasiri.
At page 26 of this book Prof.
Somadeva states that “The first attempt at recording RPE sites in Sri Lanka
goes back to the last decade of the 19th century CE. H.C.P. Bell has
reported his observations on the painted rock surfaces of two sites in
Polonnaruwa District (Konnattegodagalage (fig 1.1 and fig. 1.2) and the
Batticaloa District (Arangodagalge in the village Kohombalava in 1897)” It is my
view that Johann Wolfgang Heydt who was an employee in the Dutch East Indian
Company (VOC) in Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka) in 1733 through Arnet Jansen his
draftsman and painter executed plate 77 the explanation of Heydt’s found at p
63-4 of the English translation and notes provided by R. Raven-Hart’s book
entitled Heydt’s Ceylon published in 1952 by Ceylon Government Colombo is the
earliest attempt to record RPE sites in Sri Lanka. This record goes back to the
18th century. Heydt/Jansen’s petroglyphs ‘hieroglyphs’ cut in stones
and rocks below Adam’s peak would have been the earliest attempt to place on
record, which is effaced with the whirlgig of time. Heydt’s Ceylon being the
relevant sections of the Allerneuter Geegraphisch Und Topogrphischep
Schau-Platz von Africa und Ost-Indien etc. published by Wilhermsclorff in 1744 in German language..
Dr. Siran U. Deraniyagala’s path
breaking study entitled Prehistory of Sri Lanka Vol. I (Part 1 & 2) (1988) 2004 published by the. Government of Sri Lanka (which is not cited by Prof. Somadeva in his
present book) at page 390 states thus :
“Most, if not all, of the rock
art listed by Nandadeva (1986) is ascribable to the veddas, possible exception
being the engravings at Doravaka- Kande and Dimbulagala". This explanation well
could be applied to the rock caves discovered from the environs of the Adam’s
Peak cited by J.W. Heydt and the other caves found in the area.
The recent news reports that
evoked interest on ‘Divaguhawa’ or ‘Baghavalena’ in the environs of the
Adams peak should be an undoubtedly an RPE which is said to have a painting of
King Nissankamalla.
Another possible RPE that is
already recorded is ‘Kurundaka Lena’ referred by Buddhagosha has been
identified as the Karambagala, a cave near Ridiyagama, a village six miles from
Ambalantota. The fragment of paintings believed to be 2nd century BC
is the oldest fresco extant in Sri Lanka (D.B. Dhanapala’s The Story of
Sinhalese Paintings - 1957) This case have not been recorded as an RPE in Prof.
Somadeva’s treatise.
Gamini S.G. Punchihewa in his
book titled “Souvenirs of a Forgotten Heritage” 1990 has provided some sketches
on Veddha art from the Hamangala, Illukpitiya Rock caves in Damana Divisional
Secretary Division located in found in eight miles from Ampara. The only cave
recorded found in Prof. Somadeva’s book is from Damana is Malayadikanda cave
from the Register of Archaeological Monuments (ROAM) detailed out in pages 147
to 152. This is another possible RPE site, a salient omission by Prof. Somadeva
in this full-fledged publication based on RPE sites in Sri Lanka.
Henry Parker has had aptly
observed in 1909 in his' " Ancient Ceylon" London : “Thus there seems good reason
to believe that when the monks came to occupy the caves their original residents
had already voluntarily abandoned them, and like the Veddas of Anuradhapura established
in village themselves. At page 40-1 of the book. Prof. Somadeva (Part III)
(Physiographic contract) states that :
“The vegetation regions of zone D
is dominated by both montane & sub montane rain forests & the other
zones mentioned here fall into dry lowland type vegetation in which the
Tropical & Thorn forests and Dry monsoon forests predominate. Individual
exploitable faunal elements in these forests are numerous. Some of the faunal
species such as the porcupine and the spotted deer are common to most of the
physiographic zones in varying degrees (vide Deraniyagala 1992:509) Contrary to
this, some restricted animal species reflect the faunal existence within the
wet/dry dichotomy clear examples are the spotted deer (Axis axis), the water buffalo
[Bubalis bubalis] which is exclusive to the Dry Zone and the hog-deer (Hyelaphus
porcinus) which is combined only to the wet zone". Though a critically endangered
species found in the Red Data Book of the IUCN 2012 the Hog Deer it was widely
accepted as an introduced species for game purposes. (see: S.D. Saparamadu’s –
Sri Lanka a Wild Life Interlude Volume 1 and 2 Tisara Prakasakayo Ltd )
The pre historical excavations
done in Alawala Pothgullena in District of Gampaha in 2007 where the lower jaw
remains of a 17,000 year old Hog Deer commonly known as Sinhalese Wilmuwa
discovered by Prof. Gamini Adikari and Jude Perera amply supports Prof.
Somadeva’s insights that the local Hog Deer is no longer an introduced species.
At page 120 of the book Prof.
Somadeva categorically states Fig. 1.59 ‘Probably a female tusker accompanying
her baby engraved on the interior walls of the cave Doravaka kande’ This
finding is baseless, cannot be considered as authentic and accurate as the
Ceylonese elephant does not have a female tusker.
At page 42 Prof. Somadeva states
that : “57 individual RPE sites have so far been reported in Sri Lanka Map 1.2.
A list of these of there is shown in table below”. I find that only 24 sites
were visited during the present project (vide: at P. 108) RPE project field
survey was done only for a period of two years But none of these RPE sites are
recorded by Global Position System (GPS). Out of the 57 individual RPE sites
reported in Sri Lanka the status of 33 RPE sites are still not known. Though
ascertaining their present status of RPE falls within ambit of chapter two of
this book none of the authors of the splendid work have delved into the aspect
of taking appropriate measures to save these RPE’s for posterity as a national
project. This system of recording is a crying need of the hour. Another
pertinent factor which is overlooked by the writes of this work are the use of
diacritical marks in identifying the Sinhalese toponymy or place names or
Sinhalese words of the RPE sites cited in the book.
Another shortcoming that I see in
this splendid compilation is that at page 75 of the book Prof. Somadeva states
that: (the foot note number 10) “De
Silva et al 2004 have made a misleading attempt to indentify this creature with
the species (Calodactylodes illongworthorum )” I do not find De Silva et at
2004 enlisted among the references found in the Chapter 1 of Prof. Somadeva’s
splendid book.
At page 208 of the book the Vettambugala
cave, Calodactylodes illongworthorum is locally or colloquially identified as
gal huna. Whereas at P 219 of the book walls of the Henewalagalge cave it is
identified as maha gal huna. The first colloquial name is very likely a lapsus calamai or lapsus pennae.
Gamini Jayasinghe interprets in
photo the Grandeur Of Sinhala Buddhist Art text by Dharmasena Rassapana 2003,
Vishvalekha Publications (at P12) states that :
“Before the arrival of Buddhism
in Sri Lanka samples of engravings or vedda rock art found in several places
such as Thanthirimale, Aadiyagala, Dorawaka, Dimbulagala, Gangolla, Kotiyagala,
Myella cave and Budugala etc. They cannot be identified as mature art, but
these sketches help us to form an idea about prehistoric art. Some scholars
believe, that these artistic form reflects tribal characteristics of the
prehistoric man. (f.n. 21 Kala Sangarawa, Sri Lanka Kala Mandalaya 25, issue
KLDA Jayasena Perani Hela Sithuwam Kalawa)” Myella cave has not been placed on
record in Prof. Somadeva’s Book on RPE’s.
Lala A Aditya that renowned architect
and antiquarian has had written to 1986/87 Journal of the RAS Vol. 31 in an
article titled : Antiquarian Note: Dimbulagala man P 185 to 161 S.U.
Deraniyagala has observed at P 161 “Dimbulagala man holding a Bo leaf which is
probably symbolic of bringing the sapling of India I suspect that this is depiction
of the event by the then Proto-historic inhabitants of Dimbulagala. These are
probabilities but rather high ones”.
Dr. Nandadeva Wijesekera in his
book entited : Veddas in Transition has (p.88) stated: that: “The object of
these drawings is not known. There does not appear to be any magical or
religious significance underlying these as in the case of other pre-historic
Europe”
The aspects of study on
petroglyph’s have not been adverted to in this study on RPE’s by Prof. Raj
Somadeva. “So any one couldn’t give exactly meaning to petroglyph but the
common idea of that is a symbolic language”. [Williams D. Lewis. A Cosmos in Stone
Interpreting Religion and society through Rock Artamira Press Walnut Creek 2002.]
The word petroglyphs is used in this book only in one occasion.
RPE project launched by the PGIAR
under auspices of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs Arts has stimulated and alarmed
further serious research on Petroglyphs that found in caves in every nook and
corner that has remained long overdue. Vide: Petroglyphs of Urakanda Sri Lanka.
A preliminary account Jayampath Senanayake & Umanga Roshani Rammungoda. Sirinimal
Lakdusinghe Felicitation Volume at p.247 edited by Prishantha Gunawardena,
Gamini Adikari and R.A.E. Coningham 2010 Neptune Publishers Sri Lanka.
The project RPE is a gift for posterity. Raj Somadeva’s ROCK PAINTINGS AND ENGRAVING
SITES IN SRI LANKA has carved a niche in the annals of prehistory of Sri Lanka.
Dr. D.V.J. Harischandra needs no introduction to Sri Lankans. He is a
well acclaimed psychiatrist for well-nigh five decades. He has rendered
yeoman service to the nation. 
“No one has delved with such a consummate insight on the workings of
the human mind” wrote Julius Ketzer the translator of the Russian novel
Fyodor Dostoyeveky’s Crime and Punishement, Raduga edition, on the said
novelist. Harischandra with his rare uncanny, whirlwind romance in
psychiatry and classical Hindi music has left an indelible imprint by
releasing an audio CD which contains twenty songs “…….. with such a
consummate insight on the workings of the human mind”. For all these
songs lyrics has been written by him culled from the Jathaka Stories for
twenty Hindi enchanting tunes of well-known Hindi musicians. Eleven of
them belong to celebrated Noushad Ali’s immortal hits. The audio CD is
accompanied by a book which spans into 122 pages in which each Jathaka
story is provided with a captivating colour painting portraying the
Jathaka story drawn by Nimal Dharmasiri the teacher of Art’s of the
Mahanama College. 