Pahiyangala Cave
The island of Sri Lanka has a very rich history that features prosperous kingdoms and ancient battles. Many would be surprised to know, however, that the island’s heritage goes back even further.
The Cave
The Pahiyangala Cave, more popularly known as ‘Fa Hien Cave’, became a prominent archaeological site during the late 1960s when ancient human remains were discovered by Siran Deraniyagala who worked for the Sri Lankan Government’s Department of Archaeology.
The Cave’s Namesake
The cave’s more popular name was derived from an ancient monk, Fa Hien/Faxian, who according to myth was the person to discove this archaeological site. Fa Hien was a Chinese monk who travelled to Sri Lanka from China through India on foot in order to visit sacred Buddhist sites.
Location
The cave is situated in the district of Kalutara, which is quite popular as a coastal retreat. The cave however is situated further inland but is still close to many hotels and resorts such as The Blue Water Hotel and Spa, making a visit to the cave one of the best things to do in Wadduwa.
The Cave’s Human Remains
The human remains discovered in the cave were dated to be more than thirty thousand years old, with some dated to about 5000 years ago. This means that ancient humans inhabited this region for an incredible significant period of time. If you’re in Sri Lanka, this is definitely a place worth visiting.
Auburn Silver is a travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
