The Prehistoric Nonhuman Primate Subfossil Remains at Sigiriya Potana Cave, Sri Lanka

Archaeological excavations at the Sigiriya Potana Cave, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Ancient City of Sigiriya, have uncovered nonhuman primate subfossil remains dating back to approximately 6000 BP. These fossils, including mandible and maxillary fragments with teeth, provide evidence that nonhuman primates were a significant food resource for prehistoric cave inhabitants in Sri Lanka during the Terminal Pleistocene/Holocene period. The study, conducted between 1990 and 1991, used carbon-14 dating techniques to determine the age of the cave deposits. Odontometrical comparisons confirmed that the subfossils correspond to three extant species: two langur species (Semnopithecus vetulus and Semnopithecus priam thersites) and a macaque (Macaca sinica). Some of the material was found to be burnt, suggesting consumption by humans. This finding aligns with broader evidence from South Asia indicating the importance of nonhuman primates as a food source during this period.

Huffman, M. A., Nahallage, C. A. D., Ananda, T., Kanthilatha, N., Perera, N., Bardi, M., & Adikari, G. (2022). The Prehistoric Nonhuman Primate Subfossil Remains at Sigiriya Potana Cave, Sri Lanka. World Archaeoprimatology, 456–473. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108766500.024