Fa-Hiengala caves- probably Asia’s oldest cave inhabited by modern man - 01 June 2010

(Colombo Lankapuvath June 01) A special excavation will be conducted in the nearby area of Pahiyangala (Fa-Hiengala) Caves.

The Department of Archaeology will carry out the excavation in the same area where excavations and samples of soil were analyzed. Accordingly four layers of earth in the area which were identified during an earlier dig will be reanalyzed.

Speaking to Lankapuvath, Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Archaeology Dr. Nimal Perera said that a specialized group of archaeologists led by Geo-archeologist Prof Ian Simpson will carry out the process of analyzing the gathered sections of earth. He also said that the excavations would commence next month.

The layer of earth in Pahiyangala which dates back to 30, 000 years was discovered by the Department while another layer of earth beneath this was also discovered which dates back to around 40,000 years.

The layer will be carbon dated which will prove that this layer is as old as it is suspected to be which will also make Pahiyangala Cave the oldest cave inhabited by modern day man in Asia said Dr Perera.

So far the caves identified as the oldest cave inhabited by modern day man in Asia has been found in the Borneo Island in Indonesia.

Meanwhile the Department is also conducting excavations in several selected parts of the Jaffna Dutch fort.

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