Archaeological Protected Monuments in Sri Lanka
The archaeological heritage of Sri Lanka can be divided into three ages; Prehistoric (Stone-age), Protohistoric (Iron Age), and historical period. 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 forests in the central and southwestern mountain regions 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 on 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 buildings 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 the 3rd century BC onward. Which gives 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 sites that 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
[edit | edit source]According to 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 a 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
[edit | edit source]Kandy District
[edit | edit source]Matale District
[edit | edit source]Nuwara Eliya District
[edit | edit source]Eastern Province
[edit | edit source]Ampara District
[edit | edit source]Batticaloa District
[edit | edit source]| Monument | Image | Location | Grama Niladhari Division |
Divisional Secretary's Division |
Registered | Description | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batticaloa fort | File:Batticaloa Portuguese (dutch) fort.jpg | Batticaloa Town | Batticaloa | [3] | |||
| Pulukunawa Raja Maha Vihara | Eruwilporativu | Manmunai Pattu | The Drip-ledged caves, Dagobas, pillared structures, Asanagharas, ponds and a torso of a Buddha image | [4] | |||
| Rahat Gala | Thandamale | [5] |
_fort.jpg){kind=link}
| Error creating thumbnail: |
Trincomalee District
[edit | edit source]North Central Province
[edit | edit source]Anuradhapura District
[edit | edit source]Polonnaruwa District
[edit | edit source]| Monument | Image | Location | Grama Niladhari Division |
Divisional Secretary's Division |
Registered | Description | Refs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara | File:Dimbulagala Temple.JPG | Dimbulagala | 211-Dimbulagala | Dimbulagala | 24 May 1957 | [6] | |
| Halmillawewa Ruins | Halmillawewa | 32-Gal Oya | Hingurakgoda | 23 February 2007 | Ancient Dagaba and ruins of buildings situated in the forest area close to Halmillawewa | [7] | |
| Kaudagala Forest Monastery | Kurulubedda | 282-Mahindagama | Welikanda | 20 March 2017 | Ruins of ancient stupas,ruins of buildings,caves with drips and paintings situated in the forest area close to Kaudagala | [8] | |
| Medirigiriya Vatadage | File:Medirigiriya watadageya 1.jpg | Medirigiriya | 87-Medirigiriya | Medirigiriya | |||
| Nagalakanda Mahasen Monastery | Minneriya | ||||||
| Namal Pokuna Monastery | Dimbulagala | Dimbulagala | |||||
| Silumina Seya | Aralaganwila | ||||||
| Unagalawehera Rajamaha Viharaya | File:Unagalawehera Stupa.jpg | Unagalawehera | 52-Unagalavehera West | Hingurakgoda | |||
| Somawathiya Chaitya | File:Somawathiya Chethiya, Sri Lanka.jpg | Meenvillu | 137-Sungawila | Lankapura | 7 July 1967 | The Stupa | [9] |
| Error creating thumbnail: |
North Western Province
[edit | edit source]Kurunegala District
[edit | edit source]Puttlam District
[edit | edit source]Northern Province
[edit | edit source]Jaffna District
[edit | edit source]Kilinochchi District
[edit | edit source]Mannar District
[edit | edit source]Mullaitivu District
[edit | edit source]Vavuniya District
[edit | edit source]Sabaragamuwa
[edit | edit source]Kegalle District
[edit | edit source]Ratnapura District
[edit | edit source]Southern Province
[edit | edit source]Galle District
[edit | edit source]Hambantota District
[edit | edit source]Matara District
[edit | edit source]Uva
[edit | edit source]Badulla District
[edit | edit source]Monaragala District
[edit | edit source]Western Province
[edit | edit source]Colombo District
[edit | edit source]Gampaha District
[edit | edit source]Kalutara District
[edit | edit source]See also
[edit | edit source]References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ The Hansard report
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Gazette 1486 & 23 February 2007, p. 12.
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
Notes
[edit | edit source]- Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).