Posted on Friday, 16 January 2026
Senior Professor Prishanta Gunawardhana, Chair of Archaeology at the University of Kelaniya, remains a driving force in the study of ancient urbanisation, tropical sustainability, and international academic collaboration. His work in 2025 was defined by high-impact field research, prestigious publications, and a dominant presence at global archaeological forums. In recognition of his enduring influence, he was honoured with two Vice-Chancellor’s Awards in 2025: one as the Best Promoter of International Relations for the University, and another in appreciation of the national honour brought to the institution through his State Literary Award 2024 for the year’s Best Original Academic and Research Text.
In 2025, Professor Gunawardhana led several critical research initiatives funded by the University of Kelaniya and international partners. As Project Director, he spearheaded the investigation into the origin and development of maritime commerce toward urbanism in Kayts Island, Jaffna Peninsula, uncovering vital data on the region's historical trade networks. Simultaneously, he served as the Project Co-Director for the Polonnaruwa Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Project (PAAULP), a major collaborative venture with La Trobe University, Australia. This project focused on the intricate urban morphology of the Polonnaruwa Citadel and its surrounding eastern sector. His research portfolio also extended to the prehistoric era with a dedicated study of the Ibbankatuwa Megalithic site, further bridging the gap between proto-historic transitions and early historic urbanism.
Professor Gunawardhana’s literary contributions in 2025 reflect his commitment to both local scholarship and global academic discourse. He authored the multidisciplinary text Purawidyawa Hadareema: Bahu Vishayan saha vivida Ksethra (The Study of Archaeology: Multidisciplinary Subjects and Fields), published by Samanthi Publishers, which provides a comprehensive framework for archaeological studies in Sinhala. On the international front, he co-authored a significant chapter titled "Power, patronage and pilgrimage within Early Historic and medieval Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka" in the Oxbow publication Space and Communal Agency in Pre-Modern Societies. This work explores the evolution of state-sangha relations and the spatial representations of royal control in ancient Sri Lanka, solidifying his reputation as a leading authority on the island's medieval political landscape.
The year 2025 marked a period of intense global engagement, most notably at the 10th World Archaeological Congress (WAC-10) in Darwin, Australia. There, Professor Gunawardhana presented pivotal research on "Urbanism in Tropical Environments: Sustainability, Resilience and Collapse," addressing how ancient Sri Lankan civilisations maintained ecological equilibrium. His presentations at WAC-10 and the PAAULP International Workshop also showcased the application of cutting-edge technology in Sri Lankan archaeology, including LiDAR remote sensing and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) to investigate urban forms at Sigiriya and Polonnaruwa.
Beyond technical research, his work emphasised the human and economic dimensions of archaeology. He co-authored studies on tourist perceptions of the Sigiriya water gardens and the role of traditional wisdom and women’s participation in sustainability within the tourism landscape. Through these diverse efforts—ranging from exploring the indigenous contexts of the Dimbulagala complex to enhancing the heritage value of the Parakrama Samudra—Professor Gunawardhana has demonstrated a holistic approach to archaeology that balances scientific rigour with community development and international diplomacy.
Books and Book Chapters
Gunawardhana, P. (2025). The Study of Archaeology: Multidisciplinary subjects and fields (Purawidyawa Hadareema: Bahu Vishayan saha vivida Ksethra). Colombo: Samanthi Publishers.
Davis, C., Coningham, R., and Gunawardhana, P. (2025). Power, patronage and pilgrimage within Early Historic and medieval Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka: The development of state and sangha relations and the representations and limits of royal control. In: J. C. Moreno Garcia (Ed.), Space and Communal Agency in Pre-Modern Societies (pp. 288-313). UK: Oxbow Publishers.
Conference Presentations and Research Papers
Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., Namalgamuwa, H., Adikari, G., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Rammungoda, U., Kurpiel, R., Marasinghe, P., Amarasinghe, Ven. Jinasiri, K., Ariyarathna, A., Gunawardhana, S., Amarasinghe, K., and Young, B. (2025). The Development of the Urban Landscape from Sigiriya to Polonnaruwa. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (pp. 10-11).
Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., Pamalka, H., Rammungoda, U., Namalgamuwa, H., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Kurpiel, R., and Young, B. (2025). Exploring Tourist Perceptions of water garden at Sigiriya. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (p. 23).
Gunawardhana, P. and Strickland, K. (2025). Urbanism in Tropical Environments: Sustainability, Resilience and Collapse. 10th Archaeological Congress (WAC-10), Darwin, Australia (pp. 144-145).
Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., Namalgamuwa, H., Rammungoda, U., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Kurpiel, R., and Young, B. (2025). The Equilibrium, Growth and Disintegration of the Urban Landscape of Ancient Sri Lanka. 10th Archaeological Congress (WAC-10), Darwin, Australia (pp. 146-147).
Strickland, K., Gunawardhana, P., Namalgamuwa, H., Rammungoda, U., Marasinghe, P., Amrasinghe, T., Bothwell, J., McGinley-Jemison, Srivastava, S., Wingard, W., Gunawardhana, S., and Amarasinghe, K. (2025). Digging for the “truth”: exploratory excavation and ground truthing within the Polonnaruwa Citadel. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (pp. 12-13).
Rammungoda, U., Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., and Namalgamuwa, H. (2025). Contribution of the PAAULP Project to Capacity Building in the Field of Archaeology. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (p. 14).
Kurpiel, R., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Young, B., Strickland, K., and Gunawardhana, P. (2025). Application of LiDAR remote sensing in Sri Lanka: Preliminary results from Polonnaruwa and Sigiriya. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (p. 15).
Namalgamuwa, H., Rammungoda, U., Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., Young, B., Amarasinghe, Gunawardhana, S., Amarasinghe, K., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Kurpiel, R., and Adikari, G. (2025). Polonnaruwa Citadel: Urban Morphology Outside the Citadel Wall in the Eastern Sector. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (p. 16).
Young, B., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Strickland, K., Gunawardhana, P., Senevirathna, S., Namalgamuwa, H., Gunawardhana, S., Amarasinghe, K., and Marasinghe, P. (2025). Geophysical survey at Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka: investigating Urban Form using Ground Penetrating Radar. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (p. 17).
Pamalka, H., Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., Namalgamuwa, H., Rammungoda, U., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Kurpiel, R., Amarasinghe, and Young, B. (2025). Developing the Polonnaruwa World Heritage Site as a Better Local Tourist Attraction by Enhancing Tourist Satisfaction. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (pp. 18-19).
Merinnage, J., Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., Namalgamuwa, H., Rammungoda, U., Gunawardhana, S., Marasinghe, P., and Kanangama, S. (2025). An Archaeological Study of the Influence of the Parikrama Samudra on Improvement of the Landscape of the Polonnaruwa Kingdom. International Archaeology and Anthropology Urban Landscape Field Research Programme and Workshop, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (p. 21).
Namalgamuwa, H., Strickland, K., Gunawardhana, P., Panzo-Kajewski, P., Rammungoda, U., and Fernando, J. (2025). The Dimbulagala Archaeological Complex and the Indigenous People in the Context of Ancient Sri Lankan Urbanization. 10th Archaeological Congress (WAC-10), Darwin, Australia (p. 146).
Rammungoda, U., Gunawardhana, P., Strickland, K., and Namalgamuwa, H. (2025). Traditional Wisdom for Modern Sustainability: The Role of Women in Sigiriya’s Tourism Landscape. 10th Archaeological Congress (WAC-10), Darwin, Australia (p. 179).
