Marble carvings found at the Jethawanaramaya Dagaba site in Anuradhapura
is believed to be at least 1,600 years old. Director of Archaeology Hema Ratnayake said they
were preserving the 3rd century AD site and have excavated priceless artefacts, including some 700,000 beads
and Roman coins showing that Sri Lanka had a thriving trade with the west from 1,600 to 1,700 AD. (AFP)