Tre Mains Buried Settlement
Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE)·Late Bronze Age·🇱🇰 North Central Province, Sri Lanka
About
About Tre Mains Buried Settlement
Tre Mains Buried Settlement in North Central Province, Sri Lanka is a Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE) buried city attributed to Late Bronze Age culture. Systematically investigated through aerial LiDAR and fieldwalking, it presents a central mound with hydraulic works. Construction employs dry-stone masonry and demonstrates craft specialization. Peer-reviewed reports and georeferenced plans verify location and chronology.
Why it mattersKey Late Bronze Age buried-city with stratified sequence and regional significance.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Water management and resilience
- 02Cause of abandonment and collapse
Theories
- 01Astronomical observatory and calendar
- 02Trading entrepôt and regional hub
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 1389 BCE
- Period
- Late Bronze Age (1550–1050 BCE)
- Culture
- Late Bronze Age
- Purpose
- Residential and craft production
- Excavation
- Unexcavated
c. 1389 BCE
Initial construction and primary occupation
c. 851 BCE
Architectural refurbishment
c. 180 CE
Reoccupation and adaptation
1979
Rediscovery and systematic excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
9.5072° N · 80.4338° E · 2791 m · 3 mapped features
Enclosure Wall
courtyardAncillary field system associated with main monument
9.5071° N · 80.4330° EEnclosure Wall 2
entrancePrimary buried city at Tre Mains Buried Settlement — megalithic chamber
9.5049° N · 80.4318° EStela Alignment
ditchOutlier feature with petroglyphs
9.5068° N · 80.4363° E