Maintenance work at Sigiriya had shed new light on the functioning of its ancient fountain system, the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) said on Friday.
Director General Dr. Nilan Cooray told Newsfirst that the iconic fountains, which typically flow during the rainy season, were found inactive at the end of last year, initially suspected to be caused by blockages in the underground pipe network.
Authorities launched a cleaning and restoration programme, during which it was discovered that the surrounding moat — maintained at a slightly higher water level than the fountains, channels water into the system when filled during rains, activating the fountains.
“For years, there were only estimates about how the Sigiriya fountains functioned. Through this work, we have now been able to establish the mechanism with greater certainty,” Dr. Cooray said.
The findings not only shed light on the ingenuity of the ancient hydraulic engineering at Sigiriya but also aid in the ongoing preservation and maintenance of the UNESCO World Heritage site.
