Siran Deraniyagala’s Contribution to Maritime Archaeology in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This appreciation of Siran Deraniyagala traces certain steps taken, which promoted and established maritime archaeology in Sri Lanka. He made the Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA) of a project for Galle Harbour possible by expanding the mandate of the Archaeology Department to cover the territorial sea, thus providing the Department with oversight and statutory control over this vast area. He made it possible for the Department to conduct such surveys even when it lacked specialists in its own cadre and freed the Department from having recourse to supplementary votes for non-budgeted activities by making the project proponents bear the cost of AIAs. The significant impact Deraniyagala had on Maritime Archaeology of Sri Lanka is described and gratefully acknowledged.