Archaeological excavations in Sri Lanka have unearthed remains of ancient human settlements in Vadamarachchi East area, Archaeology Director General, Dr. Senarath Dissanayake said. "We have found evidence of three ancient human settlements in these areas. They have spread over an area covering nearly three kilometres and are vitally important to prove the historical background of Jaffna peninsula", he said. "We have also found clay pots of varied colours depicting the time frame. They will help archaeologists to determine the era of their usage. They are believed to date back up to 900 BCE. However, we can't say exactly what era these settlements belong to," the Director General said.
     Archaeologists believe that Kandarodaya dates back to the Iron Age and there are sufficient evidence to suggest that these human settlements in Kandarodoi lead to the existence of a very old history in the peninsula. "We hope to identify other archaeological sites in places such as Mannar, Jaffna and Kilinochchi and establish their identities in the near future," Dr. Dissanayake added.

Source: Sri Lanka News (15 October 2009)