Sri Lanka is an island with a very high density of caves. The lithology of the country is characterized by mostly Precambrian metamorphic rocks and Miocene limestone in the northern area of the country. Although caves are considered as dark spaces with many legendary tales, the scientific background of Sri Lankan caves were recently discovered after initiating scientific studies by Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology of the University of Kelaniya. During this project of speleology, first ever attempt was made to classify Sri Lankan caves based on lithology, morphology and genesis. This particular classification was done comparing the investigated caves located in Rathnapura, Ruwanwella and Mahiyanganaya and other documented caves of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is an island characterized by mostly Precambrian metamorphic and Miocene limestone rocks and has a very high density of caves. Speleology, the scientific study of caves, has been identified as an important discipline that should be done parallel to the other archaeological research. In 2009 the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya (PGIAR), started researching Sri Lankan caves with the collaboration of the University of Sydney, Australia.

The 3rd International Congress of the Society of South Asian Archaeology (SOSAA) which will be held at the Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka during 20th-21st August 2010. The congress will be attended over hundred foreign archaeologists and about thirty Sri Lankans including Dr. Roland Silva, Prof. Senake Bandaranayake and Dr. Siran Deraniyagala as Keynote speakers.

Susantha Goonatilake Phd The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) and its members pioneered in the 19th and 20th centuries the study of Sri Lankan society, culture, history and archaeology. Through interaction between its Sri Lankan and Western members, the RASSL provided a platform for East-West discourse. Most of these pioneers read like a Who’s Who in these matters.

The first Maritime Archaeology Museum in Sri Lanka will be opened by Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksha – The President of Sri Lanka today(March 04, 2010) at Galle.

Photo credit: Ruwan Janapriya Click on image to see a large image.

The logo of the Maritime Archaeology Museum depicts a vessel with a single mast, which is an iconic representation engraved on a second or first century BC Brahmi cave inscription at Duvegala in the Polonnaruva District. The inscription reads, “cave of Sagrakita, the barata”.

Sudharshan Seneviratne Ph.D., FSLCA Director General. Central Cultural Fund Sri Lanka was peopled by periodic community intrusions and interactions since the Stone Age resulting in the introduction of a variety of ideas, technological traditions, dialects, and belief systems into this island.  The central location of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean Rim on the one hand and its centrality between two World systems to the West and the East of the Indian Ocean on the other, provides a unique representation of the world culture blended in the ethos of this island society. As a consequence, the cultural landscape of Sri Lanka also represents a habitat of multicultural and varied biological identities.

Arjuna Thantilage Phd Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology – Sri Lanka *This was first published in the Sirimal Lakdusinghe felicitation volume. I am privilege to write an article to this special volume dedicated to Mr. Sirinimal Lakdusinghe. I am even more privileged that I being able to write this article for this special volume dedicated to him since it discusses one of his valuable discovery on two Hindu images by art historical means, based on scientific evidences.

Arjuna Thantilage Phd Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology The history of use of metals in Sri Lanka is an area yet to be studied thoroughly and hence have very vague picture on the subject. But it has recently been shown that the copper metallurgy may have been played a very important role in our cultural formation process against the