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The first field season of the three-year collaborative research project on Polonnaruwa Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Project, conducted collaboratively by the Department of Archaeology of the University of Kelaniya and La Trobe University of Australia, took place from the 4th of February 2024 to the 24th of February 2024 at the ancient citadel of Polonnaruwa. During the project’s first field season, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) and Auguring technologies were employed. The GPR data showed information about many widely distributed buildings, furnaces, ponds, and walls in the Central Urban area of the citadel. The auguring examination identified soil layers containing cultural evidence. Archaeological excavations are planned for next July to learn more about the observed sites. This research was conducted under the direction of Senior Professor and Chair of Archaeology Prishanta Gunawardhana, University of Kelaniya, and Dr. Keir Strickland from La Trobe University in Australia. A one-day workshop to discuss the results of this research project was also held on the 26th of February 2024 at the Research Center of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Kelaniya. Senior Professor M. M. Gunatilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Senior Professor Prishanta Gunawardhana, Dr. Keir Strickland, Senior Professor Anura Manatunga, Professor A. G. Amarasinghe, Director of Research Center, and Senior Professor Jagath Weerasinghe addressed in the inauguration session. Senior Professor Prishanta Gunawardhana, Dr Keir Strickland, Paul Penzo–Kajewski, Bradley Yon, Senior Lecturer Harendra Lal Namalgamuwa, Senior Lecturer Umanga Rammungoda, Hiruni Pamalka, Jayampath Senanayaka (PGIAR) presented research papers of the results of the project. At the end of the workshop, certificates were awarded to all those who participated in the research project. See More
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Senior Professor Anura Manatunga of the Department of Archaeology has been awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Asiatic Society of Mumbai at its 219 th Foundation Day by the Hon.Govener of Maharastra Mr. RameshBais at a ceremonial function held at the Town Hall of Mumbai on 25th November 2023. This is the first time that a Sri Lankan scholar received this honour of the Asiatic Society which is the oldest acadamic association of Asia founded by Sir William John as early as 1784 in Calcutta. Professor Manatunga was once held the Honorary Librarian post of the Sri Lanka Society of the Royal Asiatic Society which is a sister organization of the Asiatic Society and the oldest existing association and library of Sri Lanka.
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The SAARC Cultural Center of Sri Lanka organized a captivating lecture on the 28th of July 2023 in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya. The event was held at the auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Kelaniya. The entire event was broadcast via Zoom, adopting a hybrid mode for both local and international participants. The lecture was conducted by Professor Osmund Bopearachchi, Emeritus Director of the French National Center for Scientific Research on the theme "Contradictions in the Texts and Confusions in the Iconography: Revisiting the theme of the Great Departure of Bodhisattva Siddhartha in the Ancient Buddhist Art of India and Sri Lanka”. Mrs. Renuka Ekanayake, the Director of the SAARC Cultural Center of Sri Lanka, Dr. Bina Gandhi Deori, the Deputy Director of the SAARC Cultural Center of Sri Lanka, and Senior Professor Anura Manatunga of the Department of Archaeology addressed the gathering. An interactive session was also conducted after the lecture with engaging discussions, allowing participants to deeper appreciate the cultural heritage and understand the importance of preserving it for future generations. Present at the occasion were Dr. Sriyani Hathurusinghe, the Head of the Department of Archaeology, Chair/Senior Professor Prishanta Gunawardane, Professor Uda Hettige, Senior Lecturer Dr. Senarath Disanayake of the Department of Archaeology, academic staff members of the Department of Archaeology, the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Humanities, staff of the SAARC Cultural Center of Sri Lanka, and undergraduates of the Department of Archaeology and the Department of History.
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The Department of Archaeology at the University of Kelaniya recently hosted a collaborative workshop aimed at providing an exceptional learning opportunity for junior researchers in the fields of archaeology, anthropology, and tourism. The event, held on July 1st, 2023, at the Auditorium of the Faculty of Social Sciences, was a joint effort between the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, the Research Centre of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka and La Trobe University, Australia. Undergraduate students from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, and the Department of Archaeology and History at La Trobe University, Australia, presented their research findings during the workshop. The event featured speeches by esteemed personalities including Professor M.M Gunatilake, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Cadre Chair and Senior Professor of Archaeology Prishanta Gunawardhana, Senior Professor Gamini Adikari, Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, Professor AG Amarasinghe, Director of the Research Centre for the Faculty of Social Sciences, and Senior Lecturer Dr. Keir Strickland from La Trobe University, Australia. The workshop created a conducive environment for young researchers to showcase their work and engage in meaningful discussions. It served as a platform for interdisciplinary exploration, covering various aspects of archaeology, anthropology, and tourism. Participants benefited from the opportunity to interact with peers and experienced academics, fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange.
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The Department of Archaeology, in collaboration with the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology at the University of Kelaniya, successfully organized the Inaugural Annual Senake Bandaranayake Symposium on Sri Lankan Archaeology 2023 on May 18, 2023, at the auditorium of the Social Sciences Faculty. The symposium was aimed to pay tribute to the late Professor Senake Bandaranayake, a stalwart who dedicated his life to the study of archaeology. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a statue in honour of Professor Senake Bandaranayake. The esteemed Chief Guest, Senior Professor Nilanthi De Silva, Vice Chancellor of the University of Kelaniya, performed the unveiling ceremony, acknowledging the remarkable contributions made by Professor Bandaranayake to the field of archaeology. At the Inauguration ceremony, Emeritus Professor Jagath Weerasinghe delivered an inspiring keynote speech, setting the tone for the symposium. Professor M.M Gunatilake, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, Senior Professor Gamini Adikari, Director Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology, Dr Sirinimali Lakdusinghe, Former Director, Department of National Museums and many senior archaeologists, staff members of the department of archaeology, postgraduate institute of archaeology and the faculty graced the event. The symposium featured an array of research papers presented by scholars under various themes, reflecting the diverse aspects of Sri Lankan archaeology. Topics covered included Ancient Technology: Metallurgy and Irrigation, Anthropology and Ethno-archaeology, Art History, Painting and Murals, Heritage Management, Conservation and Living Heritage, City, Trade and Urbanization, Historical Archaeology, Epigraphy and Museology, Prehistoric and Proto-historic Archaeology, Settlement and Landscape Archaeology, and Tourism. With its focus on disseminating new knowledge in the field of archaeology, the conference served as a premier platform for scholars to showcase their research skills and exchange ideas. Attendees lauded the symposium for providing a much-needed avenue to advance archaeological studies in Sri Lanka.

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Department of Archaeology
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of Kelaniya.
Sri Lanka.

Tel : +94 (0) 112908779 / +94 (0) 112903891
Fax : +94 (0) 112908779

email:dep.of.archaeology@gmail.com

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