Reviewing the Paleo- Biological Remains of Rajagala Mahalena Cave in The Eastern Province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Rajagala is the dry lowland of the island, which lies at or below 900m asl, is confined to the north-central and southeastern parts of Sri Lanka. The zone comprises a plain rarely rising above c.40 m asl, but which contains isolated eroded remnants or monadnocks. The site of Rajagala is spread over 1025 acres consisting of more than 700 archaeological remains of prehistoric and historic periods. Preliminary investigations revealed that prehistoric human activity took place in the natural cave of the area before the third century BC. Accordingly, from 2016 to 2019, a selected cave called Maha Lena (ML) was excavated for further investigation. This cave was excavated jointly by Deccan College and the University of Sri Jayawardanepura. Excavations in 2018 and 2019 revealed a large number of prehistoric evidences. Among them are stone tools, bone tools, animal bones, and botanical remains. The main focus of this research paper is to analyze the biological remains found during the excavation of the ML Cave and to assess what the past environment was like through it. We have very limited knowledge of prehistoric research and information in the Eastern Province compared to the Low land Wet Zone of Sri Lanka. Accordingly, the focus was on research questions on the subsistence of prehistoric humans living in the caves of the Eastern Province and how environmental conditions have changed concerning the wet zone. Faunal and botanical remains have been recorded from ML, denoting the prevalence of climatic conditions similar to those of the present.