Chryshane Mendis | Sri Lanka Archaeology

Truth behind the Prison cell of the last King in Colombo Fort

The Prison cell of the last King of Kandy, King Sri Wickrama Rajasingha in Colombo fort is a somewhat well-known monument. Although most individuals working in the Fort area do not notice it, it is a famous destination for tourists. It is situated within the premises of the Ceylinco House building down Janadipathi Mawatha (Queen’s Street) at the turn off to Bank of Ceylon Mawatha. The aim of this article is to see if this is really the prison […]

ICOMOS – Sri Lanka felicitation ceremony for Dr. Roland Silva and Prof. L. Prematilleke

The felicitation ceremony for Dr. Roland Silva and Prof. P.L. Prematilleke organized by ICOMOS – Sri Lanka was held recently on the 24th of March 2018 at 10.00 am in the Auditorium of the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects, Colombo 07. This was held to honour the services of Dr. Roland Silva and Prof. P.L. Prematilleke, two past presidents of ICOMOS – Sri Lanka, for their unique and valuable contribution to the protection and conservation of Sri Lanka’s heritage.

June 28, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Events Dr. Roland Silva, Heritage Conservation, ICOMOS, Prof. P.L. Prematilleke 0 Comments

Important Inscriptions of Sri Lanka: Part 01

Inscriptions are an important source of information of the past in any civilization, and in that, Sri Lanka is fortunate to have a very large number of inscriptions from the earliest years of the Sinhalese civilization down to the Kandyan times. These various inscriptions, inscribed on stone and metal have aided the historian well, in complimenting and supplementing the already voluminous literature works. Sri Lanka’s inscriptions vary from scribbling of few words, to donations to clergy and to royal […]

June 22, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Epigraphy, History, Inscriptions Badulla pillar inscription, Bhuvenekabahu IV, Gadaladeniya, Horabora pillar inscription, Panakaduwa, Udaya IV, Vallipuram Gold Plate inscription, Vasabha, Vijayabahu 4 Comments

Archaeological Sites around Dimbulagala: Part 02

By Chryshane Mendis

Pulligoda
Pulligoda is a small cave containing paintings of the Anuradhapura period situated on a small rock outcrop several hundred meters from the base of the south face of the Dimbulagala Mountain. To arrive here, one must travel pass the Dimbulagala Rajamaha Viharaya and after passing the tank, take the first large gravel road to the left leading to the area of Millana. About 300 meters down this road one would find a sign board to the left […]

June 21, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Archaeological Survey, Exploration, History Ancient paintings, Dimbulagala, inscriptions, Kosgaha Ulpatha, Molahetiwelagala, Polonnaruwa, Pulligoda 4 Comments

Sailing Ships and Temple walls

As stated at the beginning of the paper, the work so far carried out is not conclusive. There remains much to be done. For example, it would be useful to compare this graffiti with the drawings of ships shown in Dutch period maps of Ceylon, India and Indonesia. In addition, any dates arrived at with regard to the wall paintings on which the graffiti had been drawn, would have to be taken into consideration. In conclusion it is wished […]

June 19, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Colonial Heritage, Maritime Archaeology, Research Paper Dutch ships, Kandy, Natha Devale, Sail ships, Somasiri Devendra 0 Comments

Whatever happened to the King’s mother?

By Somasiri Devendra and Prof. Sarath Edirisinghe
Questions, and an Answer
Signature of King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe

Like so many good things, what follows is a spin-off from the “Ceylankan”.
Last year Devendra wrote to the Editor of the “Sunday Times” voicing a question that had vexed him for long, and the Editor was kind enough to carry my query, as follows:
“On re-reading Andrew Scott’s piece on the ‘Capture and exile of the last king of Kandy’ in the ISLAND of February 4th, […]

June 19, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Colonial Heritage, Description:, History Kandy, Last King of Sri Lanka, Prof. Sarath Edirisinghe, Somasiri Devendra, Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe 1 Comment

Archaeological Milestones in Sri Lanka: Part 02

This article series would sum up some of the most important events in the journey of Sri Lankan Archaeology, milestones which changed the way we think of the past, the way we know the past and the way we see and protect the past. Milestones in Sri Lanka archaeology would include important discoveries to institutional and policy establishments, which, has helped the field to progress to the present and helped expand our understanding of the past.

June 17, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Archaeological Survey, Events, Excavation, Exploration Archaeology Survey of Ceylon, H.C.P. Bell, Kegalla, Sigiriya 1 Comment

Archaeological Sites around Dimbulagala: Part 01

Dimbulagala is a large isolated mountain situated in the North Central Province, east of Polonnaruwa. Its history dates back to the early historical period of Sri Lanka and was home to a Monastic complex during the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa periods. Dimbulagala is presently most famous for the Dimbulagala Rajamaha Viharaya and its late chief incumbent the Ven. Sri Seelalankara Thero who had served the people of Dimbulagala for decades but was murdered in 1995 by the LTTE.

April 16, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Archaeological Survey, Chryshane Mendis, Exploration, History Dimbulagala, Mara Vidiya, Namal Pokuna, Pandukabaya, Sundera Maha Devi 0 Comments

Archaeological Milestones in Sri Lanka: Part 01

By Chryshane Mendis

Research into the field of Archaeology in Sri Lanka dates back to over 125 years, having being initiated by the British administration in the late 19th century. Archaeology as a professional discipline began in the early 19th century in Europe and as a result of our colonization by the British, the discipline found its way to the island from early on. Since then the archaeological field in Sri Lanka has been dominated first by the foreigners and […]

April 12, 2018 By Chryshane Mendis Ancient Technolog, Archaeological Survey, Epigraphy, Field Archaeology inscriptions, J. Pole, Mahawamsa, Prehistory, Sri Lanka Archaeology, Stone tools, Turnour 0 Comments

Prehistory of Sri Lanka 7 : the Pleistocene flora and fauna of Ratnapura

At 65,610 km2 Sri Lanka is one of the large islands in the Indian Ocean and during the Pleistocene epoch studies have shown that the island was joined to the mainland of the Indian Subcontinent. Due to the cold temperatures of this epoch the scattered glaciers caused the water level to fall and thus much of the places under water today was land during this time. Due to the drop in sea levels Sri Lanka and India was combined […]

December 29, 2017 By Chryshane Mendis Prehistory Chandima Ambanwala, Kalum Nalinda Manadendarachchi, P. E. P. Deraniyagala, Pleistocene, Prehistory, Rathnapura, Sri Lanka 0 Comments

Author - Chryshane Mendis