Archaeological researchers from the Central Cultural Fund and the University of Kelaniya have unearthed previously uncharted medieval royal garden terraces and subterranean hydraulic conduits at the Polonnaruwa World Heritage site today, September 30, 2026.

Employing non-destructive Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and precision photogrammetry across the Vijayabahu Palace sector, excavation teams uncovered interconnected terracotta pipes and precision-chiseled granite cisterns that once regulated fountains and ornamental lotus pools. Soil stratigraphy analysis confirmed that the sophisticated gravity-fed hydraulic network utilized natural terrain inclines to circulate cooled water through royal pavilions. Chief archaeologists emphasized that the discovery provides definitive architectural evidence of the sophisticated urban sanitation and ornamental hydraulic engineering mastered during Sri Lanka's medieval golden age.