Paulus Edward Pieris Deraniyagala was a Sri Lankan paleontologist, zoologist and archaeologist. He made several contributions in Sri Lankan archaeology, studying the country’s history, culture and prehistory. His work went on to reshape our understanding of Sri Lanka’s past and made him one of the prominent figures in the development of archaeological scholarship in South Asia. Deraniyagala was born in Colombo on May 8, 1900, to a family that valued education. After his schooling, he completed his degree in history at the University of Ceylon. His interest in archaeology was built from a young age, guided by the cultural richness of Sri Lanka, a history which included Buddhist kings to British colonialism. After his undergraduate degree, Deraniyagala shifted to England, where he pursued a diploma in archaeology from the University of Cambridge. With a passion for Sri Lankan history and exposure to the Western archaeological methods, he initiated his career in the field.
In the 1930s, Deraniyagala focused on excavations and research in Sri Lanka, after joining the Ceylon Department of Archaeology. This was a major turning point in his life. His work primarily focused on prehistoric and protohistoric periods or Sri Lankan history, which was ignored by earlier scholars. One of his most notable achievements was research of prehistoric human remains at the Fa Hien Cave, located in Western Sri Lanka. In 1938, Deraniyagala went on to find evidence of ancient human presence dating back to around 30,000 years ago. This challenged the existing notions of the island’s history.
The excavations conducted brought out skeletal remains and artifacts, providing information on lifestyle and cultural practices of the island nation. Deraniyagala also made significant contributions to the study of ancient settlements and megalithic monuments of Sri Lanka. The excavation of various sites, which included burial urns and stone circles, gave out proof of complex societies that existed decades before the start of the island’s historical kings. To his credit, he found the prehistoric sites of Balangoda and Aligala.
Both have been extremely important in interpreting the evolution of human societies in South Asia. He also played a role in institutionalizing the study of Sri Lankan prehistory, as he advocated for a dedicated archaeological museum and research centre. Deraniyagala is commemorated in the scientific names of three species of Sri Lankan reptiles: Aspidura deraniyagalae (Sri Lanka rough-sided snake), Lankascincus deraniyagalae (catenated lankaskink), and Nessia deraniyagalai (Deraniyagala’s snake skink). He was also a prolific writer and scholar, whose well-known publications include ‘Prehistoric Sri Lanka’ and ‘The Stone Age of Sri Lanka’. He also won the title of Honorary Fellow of the British Academy. Even after his death in 1976, his works continue to inspire archaeologists around the world.