Embekke Devalaya can be considered a significant architectural edifice along with its finest wood carvings. Its history extends back to the Gampola period. The Devalaya is located in the Medapalata Korale of Udunuwara area of the Kandy District. This place is dedicated to the Deity of Kataragama. It is believed that the Devalaya was first […]

Our Lost Cousins Extinct Human Species  By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Our species is known as the Homo sapiens. We are the only surviving Homo species in today’s world. However, we were not the only human species that walked on earth. A very long time ago we shared the earth with more species of humans. This … Continue reading →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy Although we today separate ourselves from the rest of the animal kingdom, science proves that we were and we are a part of the animal kingdom. It is a fact that we humans, known as the Homo sapiens evolved from the apes. We share a common ape ancestor with chimpanzees. We … Continue reading Meet Lucy and Ardi →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy “Teach your daughter to use her own sword, so when she is in a battle she wouldn’t have to rely on someone else’s.” – Zufishan Rahman The discipline of Archaeology and the sector of Heritage Studies in Sri Lanka has mainly been male-centric and male dominant. There were only a few … Continue reading Female Archaeologists in Sri Lanka →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy  “The female warrior knows how to fight without violence. She knows when not to raise her sword, but instead hold up her heart. Her shield is not a defence against others but a shelter for all.” – Riitta Klint As we celebrated Women’s Day on 8 March, it seems as if … Continue reading Rewriting ‘His’tory; a need of a feminist approach to Sri Lankan history →

“I look those haters straight in the eye, keep my chin up and shoulders back. Because I know I’m a fierce queen – and they know it, too.” – Alyssa Edwards Sri Lanka has a long list of monarchs who ruled the island for more than two millennia. Out of this … Continue reading Queens of Valour →

By Ama H. Vanniarachchy  “The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.”  – George Orwell  My last visit to Mullaitivu was in the year 2018 while I was returning back from Kayts. The latest archaeological work commenced in Mullaitivu those days by the Department of … Continue reading In search of the lost Buddhist heritage in Mulle-Duwa or modern day Mullaitivu →

In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya by Ama H.Vanniarachchy Part 4 The tragedies of Sigriya do not end after the death of Kasyapa. Previously known as the Akasapawa (the sky rock), Sigiriya was home to many more tragedies and conspiracies woven around the Sinhala monarchy.  After the God-king was gone… The death of Kasyapa … Continue reading In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya – Part 4 →

In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya by Ama H.Vanniarachchy Part 3 “The subject matter of Archaeology is threefold—the Oral, the Written, and the Monumental.” – Sir Charles Thomas Newton We witnessed great conspiracies and tragedies surrounding the Sinhala monarchy of Anuradhapura. Sigiriya emerged amidst these turbulences under the powerful rule of Kasyapa, the God-King. … Continue reading In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya – Part 3 →

In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya by Ama H.Vanniarachchy Part 2 Anuradhapura 5th century CE Royal assassinations and betrayals… The well-known physician king Buddhadhasa’s son Upatissa was reigning as king when he was assassinated by his own queen in 412 CE.  The Mahavamsa (second-half) says, she had an affair with the king’s brother Mahanama. … Continue reading In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya – Part 2 →

In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya by Ama H.Vanniarachchy Part 1 Therefore Kasyapa fearing his brother Moggallana, fled away from Anuradhapura, built a fortress on the summit of a rock that is extremely hard to climb. The doorways of the many stairways to clamber the rock were built after the fashion of lion faces. … Continue reading In Search of the Lion at Sigiriya – Part 1 →

Sigiriya, pride of Sri Lanka; under risk is an article about the threats and challenges caused to this World Heritage site due to a construction within the vicinity of this precious archaeological site. The incident was first revealed by Ceylon Today. The major investigation and results were originally published in Ceylon Today newspaper in the … Continue reading Sigiriya, pride of Sri Lanka; under risk →