Archaeological excavation site in Galle:

Experts to carry out research

Mahinda P Liyanage, Galle Daily News correspondent

National Heritage Minister Dr Jagath Balasuriya who inspected the archaeological excavation site on Church Street of Galle - Fort World Heritage Site, which has been established as an early burial ground during the colonial rule of Portuguese and Dutch in Sri Lanka, said arrangements would be made to send a special team of archaeological experts to carry out research on the location.

He said human bones and other findings from the site would be sent to archaeological laboratories in India for carbon dating tests to scientifically ascertain the exact period which the human remains belong to.

The Galle Archaeological Department initiated the excavation on the site on an application by a private entrepreneur to obtain an Archaeological Impact Assessment report as a per- requisite in relation to a proposed new construction on a land which is believed to be a location with proved archaeological value.

The 86 perch land on Church Street of Galle -Fort, according to early archives, initially had been a Portuguese cemetery (1506-1640) and thereafter during 1646 to 1860 the Dutch Grand Church Cemetery.

Minister Balasuriya said the private entrepreneur's application for the proposed project would not be turned down but after finalising the archaeological impact assessment, the Archaeological Department would issue the clearance certificate if needed with department's suggestions according to the Archaeological Impact Assessment Act.

The proposed private sector development work would not be hampered owing to archaeological excavations, he said.

The minister ordered the excavation officials to expedite the archaeological impact assessment process to avoid obstacles to the financiers of the development project.

Excavation officials said human bones have been unearthed from three test pitches out of four. Among the discoveries were three whole human skeletons. The walls of some graves were plastered while some were with natural surface the officials said.

The bones excavated from the fourth test pitch were not of humans but of presumably of animals (bulls).