A collaborative project involving the University of Kelaniya, Otto-Friedrich University of Bamberg in Germany, the Central Cultural Fund, and the Department of Archaeology documenting the world famous paintings at Sigiriya using 3-D mapping technologies was successfully concluded recently. This was the first campaign of a multi-year collaborative project between the four institutions that envisaged to document more heritage sites of Sri Lanka using the same or similar mapping technologies. The project that commenced on 12th October was concluded on the 7th November.

The research team comprising three staff members from the Centre for Heritage Conservation Studies and Technologies of Bamberg University Mr. Max Rahrig, Ms. Katrin Heidi Vill and Mr. David Höpfner called upon the Vice Chancellor Prof. D.M. Semasinghe at the Office of the Vice Chancellor on 12th October 2018 prior to the commencement of the project. After completing the first stage of the project the research team held a meeting with the Vice Chancellor on 7th November 2018 attended by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Prof. Lakshman Seneviratne, Dean, Faculty of Humanities Prof. Patrick Ratnayake, Registrar Mr. W. M. Karunaratne, Director, International Affairs Prof. Neelakshi C. Premawardhena, Director, Samkathana Research Centre Prof. Asoka de Zoysa and Coordinator for International Cooperation Ms Sashini Chandrasekara.

For the project, three documentation technologies; namely Structured Light Scanning, Terrestrial Laser Scanning, and Visual Photo Documentation were used to generate three sets of data that will be superimposed using a special software to create a high resolution 3-D reproduction of the painted surfaces of the ‘Fresco Pocket’ and the two caves in the Boulder Garden at Sigiriya. The primary objective of the project was to prepare an accurate documentation of the painted surface in order to monitor the state of preservation of the paintings and the plastered surfaces. Secondary objective was to produce virtual reality programs of Sigiriya paintings using the same data generated to improve the visitor satisfaction. There is also an optional possibility to create an exact replica of the paintings for the benefit of visitors who are unable to climb up to the Fresco Pocket.

The Bamberg University team was headed by Mr. Max Rahrig in association with Mr. David Hopfner Ms. Katrin Vill, and eight wall painting conservators from the Central Cultural Fund and the Department of Archaeology. Prof. Neelakshi Premawardena, Director of the Center for International Affairs and Prof. Asoka Zoysa of the Samkathana Research Centre coordinated the project on behalf of the University of Kelaniya. Retired Professor B.D. Nandadeva, formerly in the Department of Fine Arts, served as the overall coordinator liaising with all four institutions and other stakeholders The project was jointly funded by Gerda Henkel Stiftung Foundation in Germany, and the Central Cultural Fund.