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| Archaeological Society of Sri Lanka | |
|---|---|
| Name | Archaeological Society of Sri Lanka |
| Formation | 19th century |
| Type | Learned society |
| Headquarters | Colombo |
| Region served | Sri Lanka |
| Language | Sinhala, Tamil, English |
| Leader title | President |
Archaeological Society of Sri Lanka is a learned society dedicated to the study, preservation, and promotion of archaeological heritage in Sri Lanka. It engages with archaeological research, conservation, and public education relating to ancient sites such as Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Kandy, and Dambulla. The Society interacts with regional and international institutions including British Museum, UNESCO, International Council on Monuments and Sites, Oxford University and University of Peradeniya.
The Society traces roots to colonial-era antiquarian interest with antecedents connected to Royal Asiatic Society branches, Ceylon Government Railway surveys, and 19th-century figures who worked alongside administrators from British Empire. Early members corresponded with scholars at British Museum, Bodleian Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Asiatic Society of Bengal. During the 20th century, interactions with Archaeological Survey of India, Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka), University of Colombo, and scholars linked to the British School at Rome shaped professionalization. Post-independence periods saw engagement with UNESCO World Heritage Committee, conservation efforts at Temple of the Tooth, and responses to events such as the Sri Lankan Civil War that affected sites in Jaffna and Trincomalee.
The Society is governed by an elected council comprising a President, Secretary, Treasurer, and committee chairs drawn from members affiliated with institutions like University of Peradeniya, University of Kelaniya, Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, and Central Cultural Fund. Statutory frameworks have been influenced by precedents from Archaeological Survey of India statutes and administrative models in Sri Lanka Ministry of Cultural Affairs contexts. Advisory links include retired personnel from Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka), academics associated with University of Oxford, University College London, and museum professionals from National Museum of Colombo and Smithsonian Institution.
The Society organizes field surveys, excavations, site documentation, and conservation projects at monumental complexes such as Ritigala, Mihintale, Ruwanwelisaya, Isurumuniya, and coastal sites near Galle Fort. It collaborates on interdisciplinary projects involving specialists from University of Cambridge, Leiden University, McMaster University, and laboratories like Raman spectroscopy facilities and Radiocarbon dating centers. Public programs include lectures referencing work on artifacts comparable to collections at British Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, and National Museum of India, and thematic projects about inscriptions akin to holdings at Epigraphia Zeylanica.
The Society publishes bulletins and journals that present research on lithic analysis, ceramic typology, epigraphy, and architectural conservation, drawing parallels with outputs from Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Antiquity (journal), and monographs similar to those of Cambridge University Press. Contributors include academics affiliated with University of Colombo, University of Peradeniya, Leiden University, and visiting scholars from SOAS University of London. Research topics have ranged from Buddhist monasteries at Anuradhapura to maritime archaeology in the Bay of Bengal and comparative studies connecting to Indian Ocean trade networks and artifacts held at Petrie Museum.
Membership comprises professional archaeologists, conservators, historians, and amateurs linked to institutions such as Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, Central Cultural Fund, and international bodies like International Council on Monuments and Sites and ICOMOS. Outreach activities include guided tours at Sigiriya, school programs in collaboration with Department of Education (Sri Lanka), and seminars co-hosted with British Council and Asia Foundation. The Society promotes heritage education through exhibitions echoed by displays at National Museum of Colombo and partnerships with regional cultural centres in Southern Province and Eastern Province.
The Society has formal and informal ties with governmental and non-governmental entities including Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka), Central Cultural Fund, UNESCO, World Monuments Fund, British Museum, Oxford University, University of Peradeniya, University of Cambridge, SOAS University of London, and archaeological missions from France, Germany, Japan, and India. Collaborative projects have involved comparative research with collections at Victoria and Albert Museum, National Museum of India, and laboratory exchange with Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory University of Waikato.
The Society contributed to documentation and conservation practices that influenced listing of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Sigiriya on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its publications, exhibitions, and training programs helped develop cadres who moved into institutions such as the Department of Archaeology (Sri Lanka), museums like National Museum of Colombo, and academic posts at University of Kelaniya and University of Colombo. The Society’s legacy persists in ongoing site stewardship, scholarly networks linking South Asia and global institutions, and public awareness campaigns responding to threats demonstrated during episodes involving Sri Lankan Civil War impacts and natural hazards along the Indian Ocean coastline.
Category:Learned societies of Sri Lanka