5/5 Dhamma G. 2 years ago on Google
The
most
important
feature
of
the
ancient
Sri
Lankan
economy
was
its
village
level
self
sufficiency.
The
basic
needs
of
the
people
were
satisfied
within
the
village
community.
Traveling
between
villages
usually
took
place
by
foot
as
people
did
not
usually
travel
long
distances.
Therefore
there
was
no
need
for
big
roads
linking
villages.
However,
bigger
and
better
roads
were
required
to
link
the
important
administrative
and
commercial
centers.
During
the
first
few
centuries
of
Anuradhapura
era,
the
main
administrative
centers
were
Anuradhapura
and
Magama
in
the
Ruhuna.
There
was
a
main
road
linking
these
two
cities.
Furthermore,
major
roads
connected
Anuradhapura
with
the
ports
of
Jambukolapattana
(Dambakola
Patuna)
in
the
Jaffna
Peninsula,
Mathota
or
Mahatitta
(Manthai)
near
present
day
Mannar
and
Gokanna
(Trincomalee).
These
three
ports
were
the
most
important
trade
centers
in
the
Rajarata
at
the
time.
The
Anuradhapura-Dambakolapatuna
Road
went
through
Rambewa,
Omanthai,
Pavatkulam
and
Vavunikulam.
This
road
had
several
stone
bridges
including
those
near
Anuradhapura
over
the
Malwatu
Oya
and
another
at
Pavatkulam
over
the
canal
starting
from
the
reservoir.
Stone
beams
and
slabs
of
these
bridges
still
exist.
The
most
famous
site
is
the
remains
of
a bridge
at
Periyapulankulama
in
Anuradhapura,
commonly
known
as
Galpalama
(Stone
Bridge).
The
best
preserved
ancient
stone
bridge
is
the
Mahakanadarawa
stone
bridge,
built
over
the
Kanadarawa
River
in
the
ancient
road
between
Anuradhapura
and
Gokanna
(Trincomalee).
The
present
road
connecting
the
two
cities
roughly
coincides
with
the
ancient
road,
which
is
a
clear
indication
of
the
technological
skills
of
the
ancient
Sri
Lankans.
The
existing
structure
at
Mahakanadarawa
is
80
feet
in
length
and
ten
feet
in
width.
Ten
feet
long
14
stone
beams
of
the
size
of
16
by
12
inches
have
been
paved
across
it.
The
bridge
is
supported
by
42
columns
of
12
by
12
inches
fixed
on
rocks
on
the
bed
of
the
river.
The
slabs
of
the
bridge
vary
in
sizes,
the
largest
being
eight
feet
long
and
18
inches
wide.
The
thickness
of
the
slabs
is
six
to
eight
inches.
There
are
ruins
of
another
stone
bridge
over
the
Yan
Oya
near
Ratmale
but
the
bridge
has
not
been
preserved
well.
The
dimensions
of
the
Mahakanadarawa
Bridge
clearly
indicate
that
they
could
support
even
elephants.
The
road
to
Magama
from
Anuradhapura
was
in
use
from
very
early
times.
It
went
through
Polonnaruwa,
crossed
the
Mahaweli
River
at
the
Dastota
ford
and
went
through
Mahiyangana,
Yudanganava,
Buttala
and
Kataragama
up
to
Magama
(present
day
Tissamaharama).
King
Dutugemunu
led
his
armies
against
King
Elara
along
this
road.
As
the
main
link
between
the
capital
of
ancient
Ruhuna
and
Anuradhapura,
this
road
played
an
important
part
in
Sri
Lankan
history.
The
ancient
city
of
Anuradhapura
had
a
well
constructed
road
network.
The
Chinese
monk
Fa-Hsien,
who
visited
the
island
around
415
A.D.,states
that
the
roads
and
streets
in
the
city
of
Anuradhapura
were
excellently
laid
out
and
beautifully
maintained.
He
further
states
that
there
were
four
principal
streets
in
Anuradhapura
and
that
they
were
wide
and
well
paved
with
bricks
and
lined
with
walls
also
built
of
bricks.
With
the
decline
of
the
Rajarata
and
Ruhuna
civilizations,
some
of
the
ancient
roads,
apart
from
those
in
the
South
Western
parts
of
the
island,
were
overtaken
by
the
encroaching
jungle.
New
roads
were
also
built
through
European
intervention
even
before
the
British
conquered
Kandy.