Walathapitiya Wewa and Archaeological Ruins

Walathapitiya Wewa (Tamil: Walathapitty Kulam) is a lake located in Sammanture in Ampara District, Sri Lanka. The site can be reached by travelling 2 km from the Walathapitiya Wewa junction which is on the Ampara-Sammanture highway about 6.5 km distance from Ampara town.

 

Restored in 1912, the tank is presently incorporated in the Gal Oya Scheme (Arumugam, 1969).

The reservoir

The reservoir is located in the Gal Oya River basin. Except for the drainage from its own catchment area, a channel from Konduwatuwana Reservoir supplies water to the Walathapitiya reservoir (Arumugam, 1969). The bund of the reservoir is about 1.5 miles long and the water is extending in an area of about 380 acres at its full supply level (Arumugam, 1969). The reservoir has 2 sluices and 3 spills (Arumugam, 1969).

Ruins

Several sites with archaeological evidence have been found around the Walathapitiya lake. One site is located at the spill of the lake where random scatterings of bricks, clay pieces, stone pillar fragments and washed off debris are found. Some earth mounds which are seemed to be vandalized by the people indicate the existence of ancient structures and buildings at the site. Another site with evidence of an ancient rock quarry is found on a rock plane near the lake road. 

A protected site

The premises with stone pillars, relics of ancient bricks and pieces of tiles [premises bounded north-east by outer canal of Walathapitiya lake, south and west by paddy field, north-west by the bund of the lake (07º 19' 23.5´´ N 81º 43´ 30.9´´ E)] situated towards south-east from the spill of Walathapitiya lake and the rock plain with sign of quarry at Walathapitiya lake road (07º 18´ 42.6´´ N 81º 43´ 17.7´´ E) are protected archaeological sites declared by a Gazette notification published on 26 December 2014. 

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References

1) Arumugam, S., 1969. Water resources of Ceylon: its utilisation and development. Water Resources Board. p.170.
2) The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, no: 1895. 26 December 2014. p. 1149.

Location Map

This page was last updated on 12 February 2022
For a complete tourist map follow this link: Lankapradeepa Tourist Map

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Tombstone of Bras Munes, Colombo National Museum

Tombstone of Bras Munes is a Portuguese tombstone which is now on display in the National Museum of Colombo, Sri Lanka. It was discovered in the late 19th century, neighborhood of the site of Battenberg battery in the Fort (Lewis, 1913).

The tombstone contains an inscription of 8 lines and a broken figure above it. The figure depicts a left hand holding a bird tied with a chain.

Tombstone of Bras Munes

Name  : Bras Munes
Date    : 19 March 1624

Text   : Pater Noster Ave Maria Pola alma de Bras Munes que faleceo em 19 de Marco de 1624 esta he sua sepultura e de seus herdeiros

Translation : A paternoster (The Lord's Prayer), an Ave Maria, for the soul of Brass Moniz, who died on the 19th of March 1624. This is his tomb and that of his heirs.

Reference : Lewis, 1905, National Museum of Colombo.

The inscription is said to be begun in the same way as that on the Mannar tomb of wife of Joao de Mello Sampayo (Lewis. 1905).

References
1) Lewis, J. P., 1905. Portuguese inscription in Ceylon: Journal of the Ceylon branch of the Royal Asiatic Society [(Vol. XVIII) 1903-1905]. Colombo - 1906. p. 360. 

2) Lewis, J. P., 1913. List of inscriptions on tombstones and monuments in Ceylon, of historical or local interest with an obituary of persons uncommemorated: Colombo. p. 143. 

Location Map

This page was last updated on 28 June 2019

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