Belilena cave

Belilena is a very large cave, in which the 12,000-year-old skeletal remains of the prehistoric ‘Balangoda man’ (Homesepiens Balangodensis) have been found.The Homo sapiens balangodensis or the Balangoda Man refers to hominins from Sri Lanka’s late Quaternary period.

Various tools including stone sword, flint weapons and also a cranium which is 28,000 years old have been discovered from this cave. When excavating a particular area some oyster shells that had been eaten by aborigines were also found out. As a large number of oyster shells were discovered from this place, the cave was denominated as “Belilena”. There is a citation that reads ‘2,504 B.C.’ where a small image of Lord Buddha is placed in the cave. A skeleton, which is 22,000 years old, of an aborigine and a 13,000 years old cranium of a child about 3 years old have been discovered in the excavation pit right in front of the Buddha image. Later it was declared that these human skeletons belong to Balangoda man.

Recent archaeological excavations conducted at the cave have unearthed several fossils believed to be more than 32,000 years old.

Belilena is located 624 m higher from sea-level. the vicinity has a cool temperature. Today, there is a rich rubber plantation in either side of the road. Together with rubber, tea estate that extents over 15 acres can also be located when proceeding after Yatiyanthota towards Kithulgala.

Three attendant caverns encompass the main cave. The one in front and the cave at the right side have few doors that open up to some small tunnels. Walls of the cave are made of lime stones. The largest cave out of them would measure 18.7 m wide and 12.5 m high. The archaeological excavations have also been done in this cavern. Above the right corner of the cave is beautified by a waterfall that would count 78-94 m tall. 

Belilena Cave’s damp and dark depths are famed for the thousands of bats which have taken up residence in the cave’s cool interior.