Archaeological Protected Monuments in Sri Lanka

The archaeological heritage of Sri Lanka is divided in to three ages as Prehistoric (Stone age), Protohistoric (Iron age) and historical periods. The presence of man activities in Sri Lanka probably dates from 75,000 years ago (late Pleistocene period). Prehistoric sites which are presently identified in the country are distributed from the maritime belt and the lowland plains of the wet and dry zones to the high plateaus and rain forest in the central and south western mountain region of the island. The protohistoric period expands from about 1000 BC to the historical period at about 500 BC. The main indicators of the distribution of protohistoric and early settlements in the island are the megalithic burials and pottery sites.

The beginning of the historical period of Sri Lanka is traditionally assigned to the reign of king Devanampiya Tissa (307–267 BC) when the Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka by the missionaries sent by the Indian emperor Ashoka. However the first clear information about the establishment of building and structures are dated back to the time of king Pandukabhaya (437–367 BC).

Sri Lanka's political and religious history is mainly set out by the ancient chronicles as well as over 4,000 stone inscriptions from 3rd century BC onward. Which give the history in considerable detail from the 3rd century and less reliably back to the 6th century BC.

Sri Lanka has more than 250,000 identified archaeological sites throughout the country^[1] and some of them have been declared as archaeological reserves and protected monuments by the Sri Lanka archaeological department. Archaeological reserves are the sites consist of archaeological remains which are under the direct control of the archaeological department. Protected monuments are privately owned but scheduled under section 18 of the Antiquities Ordinance No.09 of 1940.

Declaration of monuments[]

According to the sections 16, 17, 18 and 19 of the Antiquities Ordinance No.09 of 1940, the minister who is in charge of the subject may declare the ancient monuments by notification published in the government Gazette.^[2] Also under sections 16, 17 and 19, ancient buildings and trees on state or private lands, may be declared as ancient monuments to provide safety and protection for them.

Ancient construction with historical and archaeological value which are over 100 years of age can also be declared as ancient monuments in terms of the provisions of the Antiquities (amendment) Act No. 24 of 1988.

Central Province[]

Kandy District[]

Matale District[]

Nuwara Eliya District[]

Eastern Province[]

Ampara District[]

Batticaloa District[]

Monument	Image	Location	Grama Niladhari Division	Divisional Secretary's Division	Registered	Description	Refs
Batticaloa fort		Batticaloa Town		Batticaloa			^[3]
		Eruwilporativu		Manmunai Pattu		The Drip-ledged caves, Dagobas, pillared structures, Asanagharas, ponds and a torso of a Buddha image	^[4]

Trincomalee District[]

North Central Province[]

Anuradhapura District[]

Polonnaruwa District[]

Monument	Location	Grama Niladhari Division	Divisional Secretary's Division	Registered	Description	Refs
Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara	Dimbulagala		Dimbulagala
Halmilla Wewa Ruins		No. 32 Gal Oya	Hingurakgoda	23 February 2007	Ancient Dagaba and ruins of buildings situated in the forest area close to Halmille wewa	^[5]
Medirigiriya Vatadage	Medirigiriya		Medirigiriya
	Minneriya
	Dimbulagala		Dimbulagala

			Hingurakgoda
Somawathiya Chaitya	Meenvilla			7 July 1967	The Stupa	^[6]

North Western Province[]

Kurunegala District[]

Puttlam District[]

Northern Province[]

Jaffna District[]

Kilinochchi District[]

Mannar District[]

Mullaitivu District[]

Vavuniya District[]

Sabaragamuwa[]

Kegalle District[]

Ratnapura District[]

Southern Province[]

Galle District[]

Hambantota District[]

Matara District[]

Uva[]

Badulla District[]

Monaragala District[]

Western Province[]

Colombo District[]

Gampaha District[]

Kalutara District[]

References[]

^ "History of the Department of Archeology". Sri Lanka archaeological department. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
^ "Exploration and Documentation Division#Declaring of Ancient Monuments". Sri Lanka archaeological department. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
^ The Hansard report
^ "Pulukunava". Department of Archaeology. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
^ Gazette 1486 & 23 February 2007, p. 12.
^ "Gazette". The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 14756. 7 July 1967.

Notes[]

"PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1486. 23 February 2007.

External links[]

[1] "History of the Department of Archeology". Sri Lanka archaeological department. Retrieved 19 August 2017.

[2] "Exploration and Documentation Division#Declaring of Ancient Monuments". Sri Lanka archaeological department. Retrieved 19 August 2017.

[Han-3] The Hansard report

[4] "Pulukunava". Department of Archaeology. Retrieved 18 July 2016.

[FOOTNOTEGazette_148623_February_200712-5] Gazette 1486 & 23 February 2007, p. 12.

[Gaz14756-6] "Gazette". The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 14756. 7 July 1967.

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hide v t Archaeological Protected Monuments in Sri Lanka
Central Province	Kandy District Matale District Nuwara Eliya District
Eastern Province	Ampara District Batticaloa District Trincomalee District
North Central Province	Anuradhapura District‎ Polonnaruwa District
North Western Province	Kurunegala District‎ Puttalam District‎
Northern Province	Jaffna District Kilinochchi District Mannar District Mullaitivu District Vavuniya District
Sabaragamuwa Province	Kegalle District‎ Ratnapura District
Southern Province	Galle District Hambantota District Matara District
Uva Province	Badulla District‎‎ Monaragala District‎
Western Province	Colombo District Gampaha District Kalutara District
Department of Archaeology: archaeology.gov.lk