Page 8 - Citadel Book P I

FOREWORD

The inaugural archaeological excavation based on stratigraphic principles in Sri Lanka
commenced in 1969 under the guidance of Dr. S.U. Deraniyagala at Gedige area in the Citadel
of Anuradhapura, stands as a significant milestone in South Asian archaeology. The ceramic
classification of this excavation marks the first scientific categorization of such findings in Sri
Lanka.
Anuradhapura Citadel was deemed the most fitting locale for the examination of the
chronological development of prehistoric, protohistoric and early historic epochs in Sri Lanka.
To investigate more profoundly into this evolution, the Department of Archaeology
commenced a series of excavations at this site from 1984 to 1989 based on absolute
chronology under the guidance of Dr. S.U. Deraniyagala.
The synthesized results of the excavations, although documented in various research
publications and articles, lacked comprehensive information regarding the discovered clay
artefacts. This absence represents a significant deficiency in the field of archaeology.
Furthermore, a primary objective of these excavations was to establish a chronological
typology of pottery, yet progress has been impeded, further exacerbating the gaps in the
archaeological field.
Due to various practical reasons, the efforts made towards it had been unsuccessful
until 2015, when Dr. Deraniyagala resumed and successfully carried out the work, but
unfortunately he passed away while it was in progress. However, an archaeological research
officer, Reshani Dharmawardene, who had been working as the assistant on the project, took
the initiative to continue the work.
We intend to publish the results of this work in two volumes. This first volume, titled
‘Pottery and other Clay Objects’ systematically compiles and presents numerical data on all
types of clay artefacts discovered from the Anuradhapura Citadel excavations during 1984-89.
The purpose was to facilitate researchers in easily accessing this information.
The second volume ‘Chronological Evolution of Pottery from Anuradhapura Citadel’
will be published in the near future.
On behalf of the Department of Archaeology, I would like to express my special
gratitude to Dr. Ranjith Bandara Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer, Postgraduate Institute of
Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, for providing guidance in this work after the sudden
demise of Dr. Deraniyagala. I would like to especially appreciate the encouragement and
support of Mrs. Eranya Deraniyagala in making this work a success by assisting in the retrieval
of essential documents that were in Dr. Deraniyagala's possession after his passing.

Professor D. Thusitha Mendis
Director General of Archaeology
Sri Lanka
July, 2025

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