MATURATA NITRE CAVE, Padiyapelella

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

An about 40 or 50 m long cave in crystalline limestone is Nitre Cave no. 18, Maturatta, Hewahette district (DAVY 1821: 31 note). ETYMOLOGY: No locally known name has been identified for the nitre cave associated with what had been a military station at Maturatta (Maturata). If I am not mistaken, I saw this cave called Matura Cave TRIMMEL (1968: 266) Maturata Cave KUKLA (1958) Maturata, near Padiyapelella COORAY (1967: 97): Other caves in crystalline limestone are found at … Maturatta nitre-cave DAVY (1821: 339) Maturaty, jeskyni u KUKLA (1958) nitre-cave, Maturatta DAVY (1821: 31 note) nitre cave at Maturatta PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 708) SITUATION 1 (DAVY 1821: 439): In the side of a mountain, about two miles (3 km) from the post at Maturatta [Maturata] and considerably lower (note 1). SITUATION 2: The Map of the Island of Ceylon (folded, in: DAVY 1821) shows Maturatta above the east (orographically right) bank of the Bilhool-oya or Belihul Oya (note 2) and at a spot south-east of where the-road- from Fort Mc'Donald (note 3) generally NNW to Hangranketta (Hanguranketa N07°10'38”: E080°46'43” WGS84) crosses the the Bilhool-oya or (Belihul Oya). SITUATION 3 (COORAY 1967: 97): Somewhere in the vicinity of that village of Maturata, which is near Padiyapelella (note 4). CAVE DESCRIPTION 1821 (DAVY 1821: 339-340): Its dimensions are relatively small; where highest, its roof may be reached with the hand; and where widest, it hardly exceeds twenty-four feet [7.3 m]. Its floor, though nearly horizontal in its general direction, is rugged and uneven, from masses of rock, and from pits dug in it during the rebellion, for the purpose of secreting grain. Its roof is much fissured; as you advance it becomes lower and lower, and the cave darkens: you can go a very little way without light, and a very little way walking erect. To reach the end, as I did, I was obliged to go on my hands and knees, and in some places lie down and creep forward. The distance from its mouth to its exremity may be about 150 feet [45.7 m], instead of the three miles [about five kilometres], which is the depth assigned to it by the natives, who speak merely from guess, being afraid to explore its recesses, (so they say,) believing them to be inhabited by demons. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1929: ADAMS (1929) needs to be identified, traced, and read, understood and counterchecked. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1958: KUKLA (1958: 169 apparently after ADAMS 1929) was led to believe that only small caves occur in the crystalline limestone exposed on the island of Ceylon … including Maturata cave, which is filled with hydromagnesite deposit and is the most interesting one. CULTURAL HISTORY - Human use & mineral exploitation: DAVY (1821: 27, 489) reports the presence of native carbonate of magnesia (dolomite, MgCaO3). DAVY (1821: 31 note) reports exploitation of nitrate (saltpetre, NaNO3). DAVY (1821: 34-35) notes the presence of common salt (NaCl): The only instance that I found … [anywhere in Ceylon / Sri Lank] in solid form, was in the nitre-cave at Maturatta, where, mixed with silica and carbonat [sic] of magnesia, it formed a white crust on a small portion of rock consisting of dolomite, decomposing felspar [feldspar] and mica. PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 708): Common salt … is never or seldom found in the interior [of Ceylon], except in minute quantities, dissolved in water. The only known exception is at the nitre cave at Maturatta, where it is found in the solid form mixed with silica and carbonate of magnesia, and forms a white crust on a small portion of dolomite rock, decomposing felspar and mica. COORAY (1967: 97) draws attention to the Maturata makul manufactured in the vicinity of the village of Maturata and decides that it is hydromagnesite (apparently in the sense of burned and slaked dolomite) which is used for white-washing the walls of viharas (religious buildings) and as paint for pottery. KUKLA (1958: 169), possibly based on ADAMS (1929), took the Maturata hydromagnesite (COORAY 167) to be true hydromagnesite (note 5): V literature je zmínka o jeskyni u Maturaty s loziskem hydromagnesitu, kterého se pouzívá jako malírské hlinky (note 6). TRIMMEL (1968: 266) follows KUKLA (1958) and draws attention to smaller caves known from the crystalline limestones occurring on the island of Ceylon where not only one but some of them, e.g. Matura Cave, contain hydromagnesite as a cave sediment (note 7).] in solid form, was in the nitre-cave at Maturatta, where, mixed with silica and carbonat [sic] of magnesia, it formed a white crust on a small portion of rock consisting of dolomite, decomposing felspar [feldspar] and mica. PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 708): Common salt … is never or seldom found in the interior [of Ceylon], except in minute quantities, dissolved in water. The only known exception is at the nitre cave at Maturatta, where it is found in the solid form mixed with silica and carbonate of magnesia, and forms a white crust on a small portion of dolomite rock, decomposing felspar and mica. COORAY (1967: 97) draws attention to the Maturata makul manufactured in the vicinity of the village of Maturata and decides that it is hydromagnesite (apparently in the sense of burned and slaked dolomite) which is used for white-washing the walls of viharas (religious buildings) and as paint for pottery. KUKLA (1958: 169), possibly based on ADAMS (1929), took the Maturata hydromagnesite (COORAY 1] in solid form, was in the nitre-cave at Maturatta, where, mixed with silica and carbonat [sic] of magnesia, it formed a white crust on a small portion of rock consisting of dolomite, decomposing felspar [feldspar] and mica. PRIDHAM (1849, 2: 708): Common salt … is never or seldom found in the interior [of Ceylon], except in minute quantities, dissolved in water. The only known exception is at the nitre cave at Maturatta, where it is found in the solid form mixed with silica and carbonate of magnesia, and forms a white crust on a small portion of dolomite rock, decomposing felspar and mica. COORAY (1967: 97) draws attention to the Maturata makul manufactured in the vicinity of the village of Maturata and decides that it is hydromagnesite (apparently in the sense of burned and slaked dolomite) which is used for white-washing the walls of viharas (religious buildings) and as paint for pottery. KUKLA (1958: 169), possibly based on ADAMS (1929), took the Maturata hydromagnesite (COORAY 167) to be true hydromagnesite (note 5): V literature je zmínka o jeskyni u Maturaty s loziskem hydromagnesitu, kterého se pouzívá jako malírské hlinky (note 6). TRIMMEL (1968: 266) follows KUKLA (1958) and draws attention to smaller caves known from the crystalline limestones occurring on the island of Ceylon where not only one but some of them, e.g. Matura Cave, contain hydromagnesite as a cave sediment (note 7).