Re-visiting the Bellan-bandi Palassa Human Remains of the Mesolithic period, Sri Lanka

Abstract

The Mesolithic site of Bellan-bandi Palassa in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, was occupied around 10,000 BP years ago. Analysis of the skeletal remains, excavated between 1953 and 1970, provides an opportunity to understand the anatomy of these Mesolithic people. Based on partial and complete mandibles, there are a minimum of fifteen individuals in the collection. The calculated mean stature, using fragmented long bones, is 140.05 ± 4.21 cm. The cusp and groove patterns of the teeth of adult mandibles were not observable, indicating high incidence of attrition, possibly due to a high sand content in the diet. The size, weight and thickness of the mandibles, and the form and projection o f the chin, indicate that the remains belonged to both sexes, while the eruption pattern of teeth and the position of the mental foramen reveal that they belonged to the sub-adults and older adults category. The well-developed enlarged supra-orbital ridges, wide face-to-head breadth ratio, large palate, and mental foramen are suggestive of dolichocephalic skull type. The presence of similar morphological traits in both the Mesolithic Balangoda people examined here and documented for the contemporary indigenous Veddas/Vaddas people of Sri Lanka does suggest close genetic affinities.

Full text

W.S.P.Y.N. Kanthilatha et al., Man and Environment XXXVII(2): 7-17 [2012].
© Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary Studies
Re-visiting the Bellan-bandi Palassa Human Remains of the Mesolithic period, Sri
Lanka
Kanthilatha, W.S.P.Y.N., S.G. Yasawardene1, Gamini Adikarie2, W.E. Boyd3 and M.M. Pathmalal4
School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Australia,
and Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Email: n.kanthilatha.10@scu.edu.au, nelum@sjp.ac.lk
1. Department of Anatomy, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Email: surangiy@hotmail.com
2. Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Email: gaminipgiar@yahoo.com
3. School of Environment, Science and Engineering, Southern Cross University, Australia
Email: william.boyd@scu.edu.au
4. Department of Zoology, Faculty of Applied Sciences, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka
Email: path@sjp.ac.lk
Abstract
The Mesolithic site of Bellan-bandi Palassa in Sabaragamuwa Province, Sri Lanka, was
occupied around 10,000 BP years ago. Analysis of the skeletal remains, excavated between
1953 and 1970, provides an opportunity to understand the anatomy of these Mesolithic
people. Based on partial and complete mandibles, there are a minimum of fifteen
individuals in the collection. The calculated mean stature, using fragmented long bones,
is 140.05 ± 4.21 cm. The cusp and groove patterns of the teeth of adult mandibles were
not observable, indicating high incidence of attrition, possibly due to a high sand content
in the diet. The size, weight and thickness of the mandibles, and the form and projection
of the chin, indicate that the remains belonged to both sexes, while the eruption pattern of
teeth and the position of the mental foramen reveal that they belonged to the sub-adults and
older adults category. The well-developed enlarged supra-orbital ridges, wide face-to-head
breadth ratio, large palate, and mental foramen are suggestive of dolichocephalic skull
type. The presence of similar morphological traits in both the Mesolithic Balangoda people
examined here and documented for the contemporary indigenous Veddas/Vaddas people of
Sri Lanka does suggest close genetic affinities.
Introduction
Sri Lanka has strong evidence of prehistoric
settlement by about 130,000 BP, probably by
300,000 BP and possibly even as early as 500,000
BP (Deraniyagala 1998). The records of Mesolithic
prehistoric occupations, dating from prior to
c. 37 ka through to c. 3-5 ka, are interpreted as
representing the presence of anatomically-modem
humans practicing a hunter-gatherer life-style
(Deraniyagala 1992). The earliest reliably dated
skeletal evidence of such humans in the South
Asian region comes from Sri Lanka (Kennedy et
Received : 27-03-2012
Revised : 16-07-2012
Accepted: 13-08-2012
al. 1987; Kourampas et al. 2009). Excavations at
the pre-Mesolithic cave (“Lena”) site of Fa-Hien
Lena, for example, have yielded fragmentary human
osseous and dental remains that have been dated
by the radiocarbon method to 37,000 years cal BP
(Deraniyagala 1992), while the remains of seven
adults and one child discovered at Batadomba Lena
give evidence of radiocarbon date of 31,000 BP
(Kennedy and Deraniyagala 1989). Other sites,
such as Batathota Lena, have yielded archaeological
evidence for human presence around 28-25ka
(Kennedy and Deraniyagala 1989), while the caves
at Beli Lena and Alu Lena have yielded skeletons
dated to 31ka old (Kourampas et al. 2009) and
10.5 ka (Deraniyagala 1998), respectively (Fig. 1).

Man and Environment XXXVII(2) - 2012
According to Deraniyagala (1998), the prehistoric
records from sites dating to after 37,000 BP in Sri
Lanka are much more complete. Results from recent
excavations at Potana, Pallemalla, Pomparippu,
Varana, Haldummulla and Yapahuwa provide a
chronology from prehistoric to protohistoric times
of the continuous occupation of Sri Lanka. These
anatomically modem prehistoric people in Sri Lanka
have been termed as the ‘Balangoda Man’, because
the Mesolithic ‘Balangoda Culture’ was first defined
in sites in the Balangoda area (Deraniyagala 1998);
they are considered to be the first modem human
colonizers of Sri Lanka. Evidence is emerging of the
influence of their Upper Pleistocene hunter-gatherer
lifestyle on the environment in which they lived, and
of the influence of environmental change upon their
changing lifestyles (Premathilake 2006; Chauhan
2008).
This paper describes the status of skeletal
remains from another site, the Bellan-bandi Palassa
Mesolithic open-air site, discovered by Arthur
Delgoda of Morahala. This site was excavated over
several seasons in the late 1950s and early 1960s
by P.E.P. Deraniyagala. Subsequent excavations
in 1970 attempted to clarify the stratigraphic and
chronological context of the site; radiocarbon
measurement yielded a date of ca. 2,070 years BP,
considered to be too young and contaminated, and a
thermo-luminescence measurement on fired quartz
crystals directly associated with one of the burials
gave a date of 6,500 ± 700 years BP; again this date
was considered young (Deraniyagala and Kennedy
1972; Deraniyagala 1992). Trenches, excavated in
1956 and re-opened in 1970 for environmental studies
(Deraniyagala and Kennedy 1972), were examined
for environmental analyses during 2005 (Simpson
et al. 2008). Twelve contexts were identified and
divided into five phases. The key context here is
context 1 0 , in which the skeletal remains were found.
AMS radiocarbon measurements on charcoal from
context 10 provided ages of 10,086 ±142 years BP
(lower part of the context) and 10,163 ± 45 BP (upper
part), indicating a Mesolithic age; these dates have
been accepted as good estimates of the age of this
context (Simpson et al. 2008).
The site of Bellan-bandi Palassa (6 ° 31’N;
80° 48.5’E) lies between 90 and 120 m AMSL in
the Balangoda district of Sabaragamuwa Province
(Kennedy 1965). According to P.E.P. Deraniyagala
(1958), fragmentary skeletons of nine individuals
were excavated. S.U. Deraniyagala (1971) reported
that nine skeletons and fragments of six other
individuals were uncovered during the initial
excavations at that site. Kennedy (1972) reported that
the skeletal remains of some thirteen humans and
their faunal associates were found, and that some of
the skeletal remains were sent to the British Museum
of Natural History for further studies.
According to Kennedy (1975), what he called
Homo sapiens balangodensis displays a combination
of characters that might be regarded as neanderthaloid
and australoid - the skull bones are considerably
thicker than seen in people now inhabiting Sri Lanka,
for example - and consequently Kennedy labelled
them “protoaustraloid”. Despite these observations,
there is, in fact, little clear picture on the Bellan-bandi
Palassa people. It is hence timely to re-examine the
collection fully and exhibit the reconstmcted Bellan-
bandi Palassa open air site to the general public
(Kanthilatha et al. 2009). The main aim of this paper
is to describe the present status of the Bellan-bandi
Palassa human skeletal remains.

Re-visiting the Bellan-bandi Palassa Human Remains of the Mesolithic period, Sri Lanka
Methodology
The skeleons excavated from Belan-bandi Palassa
prehistoric site were used for this study, and described
following standard methods (Katayama et al. 2007;
Lee et al. 2009). The methods described by Brothwell
(1981) and Mays (1998) were used to estimate
the minimum number of individuals (MNI) in the
skeletal collection. MNI was estimated by matching
the right side bones with left side bones, and by
identification of a number of single bones. Partially
complete mandibles, lower ends of left and right side
of humeral fragments, upper ends of radial fragments,
upper ends of left and right side of ulna fragments,
left and right side of femoral fragments, left and
right side of tibia fragments, lower ends and shafts of
fibula fragments, atlas and axis vertebral fragments
were used to determine the MNI in the collection.
The Krogman method (1962) was applied to
calculate the total length of the bones from bone
fragments. Trotter and Gleser’s (1952) regression
formula was applied to calculate stature from the
long bones. According to Williams et al. (1993), the
precise location of mental foramen in the corpus of
mandible was taken for the determination of age. Age
determination relevant to tooth eruption followed
Mays’ (1998) description. Attrition of the teeth was
used to speculate on food traits. As the complete
skulls or pelvis bones were not available in the
collection, mandibles were used in estimation of sex;
following Chaurasia (1984), the form and projection
of the chin and the size, weight and thickness of the
mandibles were examined for sex determination.
Results
The estimate of the minimum number of individuals,
based on the number of mandibles, number of
long bones and atlas and axis vertebrae, has been
provided in Table 1. Estimates of stature, calculated
from humeral, radial and tibia fragments, have been
summarized in Table 2. As there were no complete
skulls available in the studied skeletal collection,
only the mandibles were used for identification of sex
of the individuals. Considering the eruption pattern
of the teeth and the position of mental foramen
in the mandible, most of the specimens belonged
to individuals of more than 35 years of age, two
being under 18 years. These specimens belonged
to both sexes, based on size, weight, and thickness
of the mandible, and form and projection of the
chin (Estimations were made by comparing them
with known adult mandibles). Eight males and five
females could be identified (Table 3).
There is a higher incidence of mandibular molar
wear among males than females (Fig. 2). Five-point
scale (0 = no wear; 1 = visible wear within the
enamel; 2 = visible wear with dentine exposure and
loss of clinical crown height < 1/3; 3 = loss of crown
height between 1/3 and 2/3; 4 = loss of crown
height > 2 /3 ) were used to grade the occlusal wear
of the teeth (Lobbezoo et al. 2002). No comparison
by sex was possible for the incisors since these were
lacking in the male specimens. Mandibular teeth
are always more heavily abraded than the maxillary
teeth. According to these results, the reduction of
molar size was prominent from M1>M2>M3. In the
Table 1: Estimation of minimum number of individuals (MNI) in the collection of skeletal remains of the Bellan-bandi
Palassa Mesolithic open-air site
Bone
Left
Right Left
Upper
End
Right
Upper
End
Left
Lower
End
Right
Lower
End
Unsided
Upper
End
Unsided
Lower
End
Unsided
shaft
Complete
or Partially
complete
MINI
Mandibles
- - -
- - - - -
-
15
15
Humerus
- - - - 13 13 - - - -
13
Radius
- - - - -
-
9
- - -
9
Ulna
- - 9
6
- - - - - -
9
Tibia 12 11
- -
-
- - - - -
12
Femur
11 07
- - - -
-
- - -
11
Axis
- - - - - - - - -
7
7
Atlas
-
-
- - - - - - -
4
4
Fibula
- - -
- - - -
3 9 -
3
9

Man and Environment XXXVII(2) - 2012
Table 2: Calculation of stature from bone fragments in the collection of skeletal remains of the Bellan-bandi Palassa
Mesolithic open-air site. Key (Krogman 1962): Humerus: a, most proximal point in the head; b, most distal point of the
circumference of the head; d, upper margin of the olecranon fossa; e, lower margin of the olecranon fossa; f, most distal point
on the trochlea. Radius: a, most proximal point of the head; b, distal margin of the head; c, through the mid-point of the radial
tuberosity; d, distal epiphyseal line; e, tip of the styloid process. Tibia: e, level of minimum circumference; g, level of the
distal articular surface; h, most distal point on the medial malleolus.
Specimen number
Humerus
Measured dimension
of humerus (mm)
Estimated total length
of humerus (mm)
Calculated
stature (cm)
BP 1/3 (c)
Left lower end
d-e = 7.01, e-f = 15.21 199.73
133.00
BP 1/5 (b)
Right lower end
d-e = 6.99, e-f = 16.47 211.38
136.36
BP 2/10 (a)
Right lower end
d-e = 5.08, e-f = 13.15 164.68
122.91
BP 2/21 (a)
Right lower end
d-e = 6.10, e-f =15.11
191.37
130.60
BP 2/21 (h)
Right upper end
a-b = 26.21
234.35 142.97
BP 2/28
Left lower end
d-e = 8.07, e-f= 15.03 206.69
135.00
BP 3/15
Right lower end
d-e = 6.13, e-f=12.21 164.43
122.84
BP 3/15
Left lower end
d-e = 8.08, e-f= 15.01 206.58
134.98
BP 3/27
Right lower end
d-e = 6.04, e-f=14.08 181.23
127.68
BP 3/27 (e)
Left lower end
d-e = 6.12, e-f=12.05
162.85
122.98
BP 3/27 (e)
Right upper end
a-b = 27.02
241.59
145.06
BP 3/27 (e)
Left upper end
a-b = 26.07
233.09
142.62
BP 4/2
Right lower end
d-e = 9.02, e-f=20.12 262.14 150.98
BP 4/8 (a)(b)(c)
Left lower end
d-e = 7.06, e-f=16.92
248.93
147.18
BP 4/8 (a)(b)(c) Right lower end
d-e = 9.32, e-f = 18.45
216.16
137.74
BP 4/8 (a)(c)
Left upper end
a-b = 33.19 296.76 160.95
BP 5/43 (b)
Right lower end
d-e = 13.15, e-f = 14.88 246.72
146.54
BP 5/43 (b)
Left lower end
d-e = 7.07, e-f = 15.22 200.31 133.17
Specimen number
Radius
Measured dimension
of radius (mm)
Estimated total length
of radius (mm)
Calculated
stature (cm)
BP 1/6 (d)
Left lower end
d-e = 16.05 219.93
158.45
BP 2/21 (f)
Right lower end
d-e = 11.93, c-d = 200.01
208.78 154.75
BP 3/27
Right upper end
a-b = 9.18, b-c= 19.24 203.97
153.27
BP 3/27 (e)
Right upper end
a-b = 9.01, b-c= 19.08
201.34 al52.27
BP 3/27 (e)
Left lower end
d-e =10.28 dl40.87
132.20
BP 4/8(a)(b)(c)
Right upper end
a-b = 10.22 , b-c = 21.06
224.97
160.12
BP 4/8 (a)(b)(c)
Right upper end
a-b = 10.99, b-c = 24.13
250.61
168.64
BP 4/8 (a)(b)(c)
Right lower end
d-e = 14.90
204.17
153.22
Specimen number
Tibia
Measured dimension
of tibia (mm)
Estimated total length
of tibia (mm)
Calculated
stature (cm)
BP 2/21 (a)
Right lower end
e-g = 95.02, g-h = 5.94
122.18
106.83
BP 2/21 (g)
Left lower end
e-g = 89.96, g-h = 6.24 210.62 108.18
10

Re-visiting the Bellan-bandi Palassa Human Remains of the Mesolithic period, Sri Lanka
Table 3: Estimation of the sex by mandibles from the collection of skeletal remains of the Bellan-bandi Palassa Mesolithic
open-air site
Specimen number
General size Chin Ascending ramus Condyles
Male/Female
BP 1/4 (a) - 095
Larger and thicker Square Greater breadth
Larger Male
BP 1/6 - 272
Smaller and thinner Rounded Smaller breadth
Smaller Female
BP 2/10(a)-099 Smaller and thinner
Rounded
Smaller breadth
Smaller Female
BP 2/21 -273
Larger and thicker
Square
Greater breadth
Larger
Male
BP 3/15 (a)-131
Larger and thicker
Square
Greater breadth
Larger
Male
BP 3/15 (b) - 136 Larger and thicker
Square
Greater breadth
Larger
Male
BP 2/17(c)- 104
Smaller and thinner
Rounded
Smaller breadth
Smaller
Female
BP 2/17(c)- 106
- - - -
undetermined
BP 3/27 (a) - 141
Larger and thicker Square
Greater breadth
Larger
Male
BP 3/34 - 145
Larger and thicker Square Greater breadth
Larger
Male
BP 3/34- 146 Larger and thicker
Square
Greater breadth
Larger
Male
BP 3/34 - 148
Smaller and thinner
Rounded
Smaller breadth
Smaller
Female
BP - 268
- - - -
undetermined
BP-271 Smaller and thinner
Rounded
Smaller breadth
Smaller
Female
BP - 274
Larger and thicker
Square
Greater breadth
Larger
Male
Fig. 2: Male and female mandibles from the collection of skeletal remains from the 1956 excavation of the Bellan-bandi Palassa open-air
site: (left) adult mandibles with a highly worn out RM1; (right) articulated adult female mandible. (Photographs: N. Kanthilatha)
present population, mean crown base area for first,
second and third molar is 99.40 mm2, 87.47 mm2
and 87.71 mm2, respectively (Chandimal 2004). The
mean crown base area difference between present
population and Bellan-bandi Palassa prehistoric
people is 7.88 mm2 (107.28 to 99.40 mm2), 14.48
mm2 (101.95 to 87.47 mm2) and 35.21 mm2 (122 to
87.71 mm2), respectively for first, second and third
molars (Tables 4 and 5).
Kennedy (1993) reported that all calvaria
of this series of specimens were dolichocranic,
and that the calvaria of the female specimens
were narrower than those of the male specimens.
According to Deraniyagala (1958), the cephalic
11

Man and Environment XXXVII(2) - 2012
Table 4: Details of dental measurement of teeth in the collection of skeletal remains of the Bellan-bandi Palassa Mesolithic
open-air site. Key: MD = Mesio-distal diameter (mm); BL = Bucco-lingual diameter (mm); Cl = Crown Index (MD/
BL*100); CM = Crown module ((MD+BL)/2)); RI = Robustness index (MD*BL)
Specimen number
Tooth
Bucco-lingual
diameter (mm)
Mesio-distal
diameter (mm)
Crown Index
MD/ BLxlOO
Crown Module
(MD+BL)/2
Robustness 1
MDxBI
BP 1/4 (a) --095
RM1
10.31 10.57 102.52 10.44
108.98
BP 2/10 (a
-099 RI1 2.84
5.1 179.58 3.97
14.48
BP 2/10 (a -099 RI2
2.15
5.51 256.28 3.83
11.85
BP 2/10 (a
-099
RC
3.03
6.7
221.12
4.87
20.30
BP 2/10 (a
-099 RM1
9.95
9.9
99.50 9.93
98.51
BP 2/10 (a
-099
LI1
3.08
5.7
185.06 4.39
17.56
BP 2/17 (c
- 104
RI1
0.93
5.05 543.01
2.99
4.70
BP 2/17 (c -104
RI2
1.68
5.43 323.21
3.56
9.12
BP 2/17 (c
-104
RC
2.38
5.18 217.65
3.78
12.33
BP 2/17 (c -104
RPM1
5.41
7.84 144.92
6.63
42.41
BP 2/17 (c -104
RPM2
7.68
9.56 124.48
8.62
73.42
BP 2/17 (c
-104
RM1
8.83
10.05 113.82
9.44
88.74
BP 2/17 (c - 104 LI1
1.1
5 454.55
3.05
5.50
BP 2/17 (c -104
LI2
2.46 5.54 225.20 4.00
13.63
BP 2/17 (c -104
LC
2.33
6.13
263.09
4.23
14.28
BP 2/17 (c - 104
LPM1
5.33
7.95 149.16
6.64 42.37
BP 2/17 (c - 104
LPM2
7.5
9.9 132.00 8.70
74.25
BP 2/17 (c - 104
LM1
8.55
9.18
107.37
8.87 78.49
BP 3/15 (a
-131 LM1
9.55
10.41
109.01 9.98
99.42
BP 3/15 (a
-131 LM2
8.48
10.24
120.75
9.36
86.84
BP 3/15 (a
- 131
RPM1
6.57
6.75 102.74 6.66
44.35
BP 3/15 (a -131
RPM2
7.25
6.88
94.90
7.07
49.88
BP 3/15 (a
-131 RM1
9.51
10.47
110.09 9.99
99.57
BP 3/15 (a
-131
RM2
8.31 10.4
125.15
9.36
86.42
BP 3/15 (b
-136
RI1
3.7
5.39 145.68 4.55
19.94
BP 3/15 (b
-136 RI2
3.42
5.66 165.50
4.54 19.36
BP 3/15 (b
-136
RC
6.33
6.83 107.90
6.58
43.23
BP 3/15 (b
-136 RPM1
7.6
6.32 83.16 6.96
48.03
BP 3/15 (b
-136 RPM2
9.02
6.21
68.85
7.62 56.01
BP 3/15 (b
-136 RM2
11.01
10.97
99.64 10.99 120.78
BP 3/15 (b
-136 LI1
2.74
5.11
186.50
3.93
14.00
BP 3/15 (b
- 136 LI2
3.68
5.65
153.53 4.67 20.79
BP 3/15 (b
-136
LC
5.53
6.98 126.22 6.26 38.60
BP 3/15 (b
- 136
LPM1
7.51
6.84
91.08
7.18 51.37
BP 3/27 (a - 141
LPM1
7.53 7.72
102.52 7.63 58.13
BP 3/27 (a - 141
LPM2
8.45
7.28 86.15 7.87
61.52
BP 3/27 (a
- 141 LM1
12.28
12.91 105.13 12.60
158.53
BP 3/27 (a - 141
LM2
11.48
10.23
89.11
10.86
117.44
12

Re-visiting the Bellan-bandi Palassa Human Remains of the Mesolithic period, Sri Lanka
Specimen number
Tooth
Bucco-lingual
diameter (mm)
Mesio-distal
diameter (mm)
Crown Index
MD / BLxlOO
Crown Module
(MD+BL)/2
Robustness Index
MDxBL
BP 3/27 (a)-141
LM3
11.37
11.27 99.12 11.32
128.14
BP 3/34-146
LC 4.41
5.63 127.66 5.02 24.83
BP 3/34 - 146
LPM1
7.69
6.56 85.31 7.13
50.45
BP 3/34-146
LPM2
6.35
7.87
123.94 7.11
49.97
BP 3/34-146 LM1
10.71 9.86 92.06 10.29
105.60
BP 3/34-146
LM2 9.58
9.81 102.40
9.70
93.98
BP 3/34 - 146
RPM1 9.64
6.66 69.09 8.15
64.20
BP 3/34-146
RPM2
9.53
6.38 66.95 7.96
60.80
BP 3/34-146
RM1
10.79
10.38 96.20 10.59
112.00
BP 3/34 - 146
RM2
9.75
10.59 108.62 10.17
103.25
BP 3/34-148
LPM1
8.11
6.8 83.85 7.46
55.15
BP 3/34 - 148
LPM2
7.97
7.22
90.59
7.60
57.54
BP 3/34-148
LM1
10.23
10.97 107.23 10.60
112.22
BP 3/34-148
LM2
10
10.41 104.10
10.21
104.10
BP 3/34-148
LM3 9.84
11.96
121.54 10.90
117.69
BP 3/34-148
RC
6.56 5.6 85.37 6.08
36.74
BP 3/34-148
RPM1
8.17
6.61 80.91
7.39
54.00
BP 3/34-148
RPM2 8.43
7.36
87.31
7.90
62.04
BP 3/34-148
RM1
10.66
11.07 103.85
10.87
118.01
BP 3/34-148
RM2
10.37
10.28 99.13
10.33
106.60
BP-268
RPM1
8.72
7.09 81.31
7.91
61.82
BP-270
LM2
9.16
10.71
116.92
9.94 98.10
Table 5: Summary of teeth type details (mean ± S.D.), based on dental measurements of teeth (Table 4) in the collection of
skeletal remains from the 1956 excavation of the Bellan-bandi Palassa Mesolithic open-air site
Tooth
Crown Index
Crown Module Robustness Index
11
174.21 ± 19.25
3.978 ±0.583 16.50 ±2.79
12
200.10 ±48.80
4.120 ±0.472
14.95 ± 4.97
C
164.10 ±68.40
5.260 ±1.070 27.19 ± 12.38
PM1
97.64 ± 26.26
7.249 ±0.516
52.03 ± 7.47
PM2
97.24 ±24.13
7.828 ±0.570 60.60 ±8.75
Ml
104.43 ±6.70
10.327 ±0.944
107.28 ±20.41
M2
107.31 ± 11.64
10.102 ±0.583
101.95 ± 12.09
M3
110.30 ± 15.90
11.110 ± 0.297
122.92 ±7.39
index of the Bellan-bandi Palassa specimens was
70.7; Deraniyagala also (1963) reported that the
cephalic index of the BP 3/27 specimen was 71.2,
while Kennedy (1965) reported the cranial index
for the male specimen BP 2/17 as 73.50 and female
specimens BP 2/21 and BP 3/27-34 being 72.68 and
73.45. These belonged, according to Kennedy, to the
dolichocephalic skull type. As the present collection
contained highly fragmented cranial bones, it was not
possible to obtain reliable measures of the maximum
cranial length and breadth of these skulls. The rough
calculation of the cranial index of the reconstructed
13

Man and Environment XXXVII(2) - 2012
Bellan-bandi Palassa calvaria is 61.73 (thus also
implying the dolichocephalic skull type), although
it should be noted that the landmarks of glabella and
opisthocranion could not be clearly identified (Fig. 3,
please see the front cover).
Discussion
The minimum number of individual estimates from
this collection has varied previously from nine to
fifteen (P.E.P. Deraniyagala 1958; S.U. Deraniyagala
1971; Kennedy 1972). In this study, seven axis
vertebrae represented seven individuals. Left and
right lower ends of humeral fragments represented
thirteen individuals. Thirteen left and thirteen right
lower ends of humerus were identified, providing
an estimated MNI of thirteen. In the present study,
more accurate data is deduced from mandibles and
axis vertebrae, due to the highly fragmented nature
of the collection, and so the complete or partially
complete mandibles have been considered to obtain
the most accurate MNI estimation; the most likely
MNI is 15. This is similar to the number reported by
Deraniyagala (1971).
According to Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994),
morphological changes of the skull and the pelvis
(if available) are of primary importance in the
determination of sex. As those features were not
available in the present collection mandibular features
were used to determine the sex of the individuals.
Buikstra and Ubelaker (1994) also stated that
although mandibles show variation in size, robusticity
and shape possibly between the sexes, nevertheless,
they recommend taking into consideration the
overall size, width of ascending ramus, flaring of
gonial angle, and the shape of the chin. Features
available on the classic mandible for sex assessment,
such as bigonial width, bicondylar breadth,
mandibular length, chin height, mandibular angle,
minimum and maximum ramus breadth, and
maximum ramus height couldn’t be used because
of the fragmentary nature of the collection. Gray’s
Anatomy (40th edition) states that the male mandible
is more robust and larger than that of the female and
generally displays a greater height in the region of
the symphysis menti, the chin is more square, the
condyles are larger, and the gonial angle is generally
less than 125° (Standring 2008).
Calculated mean stature of the prehistoric people
represented at Bellan-bandi Palassa is 140.05 ±
4.21 cm (Table 2). The reconstructed mean height
of this study is considerably less than the reported
estimated heights of Kennedy’s (1965) study (172.72
cm ±10.78). No complete long bones are available
at present (Fig. 4) to directly apply the bone length
into the Trotter and Gleser (1952) formula, hence
the estimation of bone lengths were calculated using
Krogman’s (1962) formulae from the fragmented
bones.
Kennedy (1965) reported that some features
that frequently appear in the dentitions of other
recent hominid populations are not observable in
the Balangoda series. Caries and dental abscesses
were not present in the specimens. Lower teeth were
always more heavily abraded than the upper teeth.
Deraniyagala (1958) remarked that bite is of the
edge-to-edge type. This cannot be ascertained with
certainty for any of the specimens in the present
study, although it may have been a trait for those
Fig. 4: Long bone fragments from the collection of skeletal remains from the 1956 excavation of the Bellan-bandi Palassa Mesolithic open-
air site: (left) upper ends of left ulna fragments; (right) right side radial heads. (Photographs: N. Kanthilatha)
14

Re-visiting the Bellan-bandi Palassa Human Remains of the Mesolithic period, Sri Lanka
Fig. 5: Complete male sub-adult mandible with highly worn teeth
from the collection of skeletal remains from the 1956 excavation
of the Bellan-bandi Palassa Mesolithic open-air site. (Photograph:
N. Kanthilatha)
individuals with heavily worn teeth (Fig. 5) due to the
coarse, tough diet.
These remains were originally classified as Homo
sapiens balangodensis (Kennedy 1965 and 1975).
There are, however, no traits that suggest a sub
species, and the remains can confidently be classified
as those of Homo sapiens sapiens as concluded by
Kennedy at a later date (Kennedy and Elgart 1998).
Some interesting comparisons, however, can be
made between the Mesolithic Balangoda people and
the contemporary Sri Lankan indigenous people,
the historical hunter-gatherer Vaddas or Veddas
(Kennedy et al 1987; Kennedy and Deraniyergala
1989; Kennedy 1999; Blundell 2006). The skull
type of both the Vaddas (Kennedy 1965) and the
Balangoda people are dolichocranic. As noted above,
Kennedy (1993) reported that the calvaria of the
series are dolichocranic and the female specimens
are narrower. According to Kennedy (1965), mean
indices are 71.24 cm for the Vadda males, and 72.72
cm for the Vadda females; the Vadda females have
a cranial length-breadth index slightly greater than
that of the males. Kennedy (1965) had reported that
the high frequency of similar morphological traits
such as dolichocephalic skull with slight keeling
of the parietal region, sub-rectangular large orbits,
well developed enlarged supra orbital ridges, wide
face relative to head breadth, large palate and mental
foramen, close similarity in the humerus, clavicle,
sternum and vertebral column between Balangoda
People and the Vaddas, suggests a positive genetic
affinity between them. According to Kulathilake
(1996), the high degree of dolichocrany present
among the Vadda, the South Indian prehistoric
people, and South Australian Aboriginal people,
points to the retention of an ancestral condition.
The early anatomically-modem human trait of
broad and/or long crania has been lost through
time (Kulathilake 1996). Extraction of DNAfrom
Bellan-bandi Palassa skeletal remains, however, has
not yet been successful, so one cannot yet confirm
any relationships to other human populations.
Nevertheless, Kennedy (1965) had suggested
that the positive genetic relationship may be due
to the parallel adaptation to similar environment
and subsistence strategies of both populations
leading to the similar morphological features noted
in the bones. Considering all these traits, it can be
said that Bellan-bandi Palassa people can, and
should be, assigned to Homo sapiens sapiens
rather than a subspecies {Homo sapiens
balangodensis, as earlier suggested by Kennedy
1975). Importance of DN A studies to retrieve
accurate information and thereby elaborate on the
relationships between the Bellan-bandi Palassa
remains and the modern populations remains an
important research aim.
The presence of pottery in the upper portion
of the Bellan-bandi Palassa midden, in contrast to
its absence in the lower portions, led Deraniyagala
(1958) to conclude that the site had been occupied
either continuously or periodically over a period
of sufficient duration to allow the inhabitants to
pass through both phases of the Balangoda culture.
Bellan-bandi Palassa is the first open air habitation
site belonging to the prehistoric period excavated
so far. Kennedy (1965) had stated that further
speculations of the biological and cultural affinities
of this prehistoric population should await additional
research along these lines; it should be noted in this
context that, other than the current study, there have
been no further studies on Bellan-bandi Palassa
human bones since the work of Kennedy and
Deraniyagala, and thus such speculation remains
pending untill future research. Further investigations
on DNA samples, for example, are much needed
to reveal possible social and cultural relation with
other contemporary groups living in Sri Lanka and
surrounding areas.
15

Man and Environment XXXVII(2) - 2012
Acknowledgments
We are grateful to the Director and staff of the
Geology Section of the National Museum, Colombo,
Sri Lanka, for their kind cooperation in carrying
out this work. We also thank the Director of the
Archaeology Department, Sri Lanka, and
Dr. Siran Deraniyagala, consultant of the Archaeology
Department, Sri Lanka, for their permission to study
the skeletal collection. Greg Luker, Southern Cross
University, Australia provided the location map. We
also thank Charlotte de Blois and the anonymous
reviewer for comments on an earlier version of the
manuscript.
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K. Krishnan et al, Man and Environment XXXVII(2): 18-27 [2012].
© Indian Society for Prehistoric and Quaternary1 Studies
Petrography of Ceramics from Bhirrana: A Preliminary Study
K. Krishnan, L.S. Rao1 (late), V. Vinod2, Smitha S. Kumar, Prabhin Sukumaran3 and Dilip Kumar Kushwaha4
Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Faculty of Arts, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda,
Vadodara 390002
Email: krishnan.msu@gmail.com
1. Archaeological Survey of India, Old High Court Building, Nagpur 440001
2. Department of Archaeology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thimvananthapuram 695581
3. Department of Geology, Faculty of Science, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara 390002
4. Department of Ancient Indian History, Culture and Archaeology, Gurukul Kangri University, Haridwar,
Uttarakhand 249404
Abstract
Representative samples recovered from excavations at Bhirrana, Haryana were subjected
to the hardness test, porosity study, and thin-section analysis. From the study it appears that
at least three sources of raw materials were initially exploited and after the Hakra phase one
source was completely discarded. The s