Using multi-spectral imaging and neural networks, researchers have recovered hidden text from a recycled palm-leaf manuscript found in Anuradhapura. The Sanskrit text, written in an early variant of the Grantha script, describes advanced siphoning techniques and pressure-regulated valve systems used in temple irrigation and decorative water features.
This research provides the first textual evidence for the theoretical engineering principles behind the complex hydraulic systems observed in Southeast Asian and South Indian archaeological sites. The manuscript includes mathematical formulas for calculating the flow rate of water through varying conduit diameters, predating similar Western descriptions by centuries.