ALU GALGE, Telulla

Herbert Daniel Gebauer - 06/01/2018

A south-facing, about 15 m wide cave entrance leads up to 9 m into an archaeologically significant prehistoric cave (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247, 1983: 249), which is not only more a rock shelter than a cave but also a structure (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247-248; 1983: 249-250) with a drip of water down the rock … rich in calcium … or calcium carbonate forming encrustations .… Even today it is a popular resort of poachers owing to its seclusion and abundance of game (DERANIYAGALA 1955: 295). ETYMOLOGY: The Sinhala -alu galge- translates into ash shelter (DERANIYAGALA 1955: 295). So far, I saw this rock shelter (SARASIN & SARASIN 1908; DERANIYAGALA 1955, 1965) called, transcribed, spelled, or edited as Alu Galge (Telulla) DERANIYAGALA (1955: 295-300) Alu-galge, off Telulla CEYLON TRAVELLER (1974: 247, 1983: 249) Kalu Galge SARASIN & SARASIN (1908) Telulla alu galgé DERANIYAGALA (1965: 144 figure 21). POSITION: DERANIYAGALA (1955: 295) surprises with locating Alu Galgé (Telulla) at a diffiult to swallow position at about 6° 8” North latitude, 81° 5” east longitude (note 1) but either lost about 30 minutes north or confused the village of Telulla (note 2) with the village of Telulla (note 3) as this Alu Galge is clearly said to be reached by travelling up the Damba kota aré [note 4], a tributary of the Kirindi oya (river). ELEVATION: DERANIYAGALA (1955: 295): Between the 500 and 100 feet contour lines (222.5 m ±72.5 m) or at 700 feet = 215 m asl (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249). SITUATION 1908: SARASIN & SARASIN (1908): West of Telulla. SITUATION 1955: (DERANIYAGALA 1955: 295): Near Telulla (N06°36': E081°08') in the forest and about seven miles (11.3 km, probably along the road) west of the 47th mile on the road from Hambantota (N06°07': E081°07') north to Wellawaya (N06°44': E081°06'). The site is reached on foot by travelling upstream the Damba kota aré, a tributary to the Kirindi Oya river: The rock shelter is part of an outlier that rises 200 ft 60 m] above the surrounding land, and the rock itself is weathered in various places to form deep pockets of decomposition that retain water far into the dry season. SITUATION 1965 (DERANIYAGALA 1965: 144 figure 21): The not exactly precise Map of the southern part of Ceylon, showing the location of caves (lena) and rock shelters (galge) (without coordinates, drawn by J.B. Delair) shows Telulla alu galgé in Uva Province at a location about 8 km in a direct line approximately south of Galaboda Kandé galgé (N06°45': E081°05').SITUATION 1974 (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249): Off Telulla (N06°36': E081°08') on the road (Highway A4) from Wellawaya (N06°44': E081°06') south towards Wirawila (N06°17': E081°13') for seven miles (11.25 km) west: The cave is accessible only on foot along the bank of the Dambakota ara [N06°39': E081°07'], a tributary of the Kirindi oya. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1955 (DERANIYAGALA 1955: 295): The floor space of the shelter is about 15 yards [138 m] wide at the entrance by about 10 yards [9.25 m] long and at its western end to the left of anyone visiting the cave there is a drip of water down the rock. CAVE DESCRIPTION 1974 (CEYLON TRAVELLER 1974: 247; 1983: 249): The cave is about 15 yards [13.8 m] wide at the entrance and about ten yards [9.25 m] long. At the left of the cave (at its western end) water drips continuously down the rock. There is evidence to indicate that this drip has continued uninterrupted for many thousand years. … The drip of water at the western end of the rock [sic!] is rich in calcium [sic! qua: calcium carbonate]. Deposition of this substance over centuries had formed encrustations upon a part of the human skeleton and on the animal bones which were excavated here.CULTURAL HISTORY - archaeology (DERANIYAGALA 1955: 295): Partial excavation to a depth of 60 cm allowed recovering a human skeleton … covered with stones each about 18 cm by 10 cm. The skeleton was found to be badly preserved, much of it hving disintegrated. It was in a flexed position and lay upon its left side facing the east. Between the tibia and and the femur was a spherical pebble and near the foot were shells of the tree snail Acavus superbus, the land snails Cyclophorus, and Aulopoma, two species of the water snail Paludomus, numerous fragments of quartz and a few of chert, bones of various animals, and bone tools.ving disintegrated. It was in a flexed position and lay upon its left side facing the east. Between the tibia and and the femur was a spherical pebble and near the foot were shells of the tree snail Acavus superbus, the land snails Cyclophorus, and Aulopoma, two species of the water snail Paludomus, numerous fragments of quartz and a few of chert, bones of various animals, and bone tools.