Ancient Modes of Inland Water Transportation in Sri Lanka: Stability Analysis on Craft Excavated from Attanagalu Oya

Strategic lo cation of Sri Lanka in ancient marine routes and the availability of natural sea ports around its shore line, was a well established fact. Marine archeological findings surfaced recently prove Sri Lanka's engagement in maritime navigation from early periods. A part from oceanic transport, numerous internal water ways also have contributed to the ancient water transport facilities in a noteworthy manner. Socio cultural consequences due to both oceanic and inland water transport have been studied comprehensively and a vast amount of research literature is now available in that context. But the study of techno logical aspects of ancient water transportation modes is a highly limited area. This paper is devo ted to explore some historical references of the inland water transport crafts and stability analysis of one of the specimens excavated from inland water ways and now conserved at Colombo National Museum.