n ships that carried elephants and horses in to the country. According to Mahavamsaking Parakkramabahu had assembled ships at Uratota to invade South India. It further states that Uratota port appeared like a ship building factory (Mv.76.45-46).
During the Anuradhapura period there were roads connecting the capital city with ports open to in international trade. This net work extended up to miner ports along the western coast.Road network connected to the main internal trade route from Mahatittha was planned in such a way that all major and minor routes leaving to all four direction of the island had joined the main trade route from the northern and southern area of the inner city (Vidanapathirana,2012). Systematic transport facilitated the carrying out and implementing the state export import principles, movement of commercial items and the maintenance of a well organised custom office system. Existence of a proper road system from capital city to port of Mahatittha is evident from the fact that foreign invaders who landed the island at Mahatittha, during political instability commanded their troops enter Anuradhapura along this route. There were three major routs connected to Mahatittha, Magana and Uruvela ports from the main trade routes (Vidanapathirana, 2012) Western merchants Street of Anuradhapura had a direct approach to the main road to Mahatittha from Anuradhapura. The road network in the metropolis was connected to trade routes of the west of Anuradhapura so that the export items reaching from different part of the country could be collected at this point. There could have been market stalls by the road side along with store house facility for import and export items. Port bound carts carrying trading items from provincial areas close to the city were subject to custom regulations (Vidanapathirana,2016).
When constructing the road to Mahatittha streets within the city limits were constructed at a higher elevation. With the excavation carried out in 1891 a foundation of ruined rectangular building has been found by the road side (ASCAR1892). These ruins are inferred to be either market stalls or store houses for goods bound for exportation. Similar features have been identified along the main market street in Polonnaruva outer city area. This same market route led toward the ports of Gokanantittha (Trincomalee) and Lankapattana and other smaller ports situated to the south of Gokanantittha from Polonnaruva (Vidanapathirana, 2016).
Road connection between Rajarata to Magama from the time of king Kavantissa in 2nd century BC has been recorded on Mahavamsa on several occasions. Certain place names mentioned in Mahavamsa when describing the road followed by king Dutugamunu leading the forces from Magama in Rohana-desa to Anuradhapura seems to agree with certain place names identified with the ancient southern highway(Mv25.11;Pu.:28;Tu 146) Fixing of gavukanu by the road side mark the distance during king Nissankamalla. This is an indication to prove that there had been a constant use of an established road system in the country (Hocart,1929:1-12)). Often this road had been familiarised by the royals of Anuradhapura to visit Mahiyangana temple. According to Mahavamsa, the construction of Mahiyangana stupa had been patronised by a brother of king Devanampiyatissa. Since the completion of this construction the stupa had been renovated by several kings up to the reign of king Prakkramabahu VI (1412-1467) (Mv1.24,40,42,25.7-8;Tu:50’Vp98-100,473;Sbo:212;Pu:736; Paranavitana, 1955:177-195;). Hopitigamuva inscription by king Kassapa IV (946-954) says that Mahiyangana temple had remained a significant land mark on the way to Rohana-desa (Paranavitana,1933:71-78)). Discovery of a gavukanu at the village Valigatta proves that the road continued even beyond Magama up to the Godavaya port of the southern coast (Hocart 1929, 1930: plate LXXIII. ; Codrington 1930:129-136. ; Paranavitana1944:161).
Evidence of Infrastructure
In understanding the expansion and extension of a road network techniques employed in the construction of re