m inscriptions regarding the maintenances, construction and the development of a road network reaching the northern maritime province of Jambukolapattan and also Magama city and Godavaya harbour of the southern Sri Lanka (Vidanapathirana,2016). There were roads touching the harbour along the eastern and western coast. Chronicles and inscriptional record the existence of a developed road network connecting even significant religious destinations like SriPada in Samanalakanda (Adam’s peak) in the central hill (Wickremesinghe,1927).These roads had been developed and maintained with the royal patronage. Northern highway leaving Anuradhapura citadel up to Jambukolapattana in the northern coast reach the harbour of Uratota (Kayts).Mahavamsa further record the contacts between the royalty in Anuradhapura and Kajaragama (Kataragama) and Candanaga main Ruhana desa in the southern part of the island.
During the famine that occurred in the 1st century BC according to Sammohavenodani Attakata of Rev. Buddhaghosa it was from the port of Jambukolapattana that the Buddhist monks embarked on their journey to temples in India. It is mentioned in the same text that ships were assembled in Jambukolapattana for this purpose. As mentioned inRajavaliya it implied that king Gajaba 1 (114-136 AD) left for Jaffna on the same routeto invade the Chola kingdom of southern India. According to Dathuvamsa, king Kitsirimevan (331-569AD) carrying the sacred tooth relic disembarked at Jambukolapattana to reach Anuradhapura (Datu.8-11).Depending on its nature of activities of the port at Uratota it is necessary to pay our attention to that main overland road that connected the port city to the capital city of Anuradhapura. Construction and maintenance of roads up to the northern boundary came under the supervision of the kings. Tamil Inscription at Nagadepa Island in north by the king Parakkramabahu I says that Uratota had been the principle port where Indian trades entered the country (Indrapala,1963). The king had paid special attention to Indian 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 b