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Prof. P.B.N. Abeywardana




Head of the Department

nuwan@ssh.rjt.ac.lk

TP: +94 718352394

Biography

Nuwan Abeywardane is a Professor attached to the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Management of the Rajarata University of Sri Lanka. He had his primary and secondary education from Dharmashoka College, Ambalangoda. In 2005 he was able to qualify himself by obtaining a first class honors degree for Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology from the University of Peradeniya. Meantime, he was awarded two scholarships for Academic Excellence and Greatest Competence at the General Convocation.  He completed his Master of Science in GIS and remote sensing at Post Graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, in 2009 with a GPA of 3.81.   In 2009 he joined the Government Department of Archaeology as a research assistant and contributed to several field explorations and excavations island wide. Nuwan joined the Department of Archaeology and Heritage Management at Rajarata University of Sri Lanka as a young Lecturer in 2011. He is a senior academic and a researcher now. He completed his Doctor of Science degree in Landscape Archaeology from the Freie University, Berlin, Germany, in 2019. He is an ICCROM alumnus and completed the Conservation of Built Heritage Course in 2014 at ICCROM, Rome, Italy. Further, he had his heritage and GIS education from Japan, Thailand, and India. He is a member of the Sri Lanka Council of Archaeologists.   

Educational qualifications

  • D.Sc. in Landscape Archaeology – Freie University, Berlin, Germany
  • M.Sc. in GIS and Remote Sensing – PGIS, University of Peradeniya,
  • BA honors in Archaeology – University of Peradeniya

Research Interests

Landscape Archaeology, Heritage Management, Geo-informatics 

Research Publications

  • Evolution of the Dry Zone Water  Harvesting and Management Systems in  Sri Lanka during the Anuradhapura  Kingdom; a study based on Ancient  Chronicles and Lithic Inscriptions. Water History 2019, 11: 75-103  (https://doi.org/10.1007/s12685-019-  00230-7) with Brigitta Schütt, A.Pitawala and Wiebke Bebermeier
  • Indigenous Agricultural Systems in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka: Management Transformation Assessment and Sustainability. Sustainability 2019, 11, 910. (https://doi.org/10.3390/su11030910) with Brigitta Schütt, Thusitha Wagalawatta and Wiebke Bebermeier
  • Ancient Water Management and Governance in the Dry Zone of Sri Lanka Until Abandonment, and the Influence of Colonial Politics during Reclamation. Water 2018, 10, 1746. (https://doi.org/10.3390/w10121746) with  Wiebke Bebermeier and  Brigitta Schütt
  • Water Harvesting in the Tropics. An Introduction of an ancient System in the dry Zone of north central Sri Lanka, 2018, Water Harvesting in Drylands, with Wiebke Bebermeier, Ingo Middelhaufe and Brigitta Schütt
  • Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka; Mapping nature culture values, Cultural Landscape of Asia,  Wildlife Institute of India UNESCO C2C, UNESCO New Delhi and DRONAH, 2018
  • The Hinterland of Ancient Anuradhapura: Remarks about an Ancient Cultural Landscape, Journal of World Heritage Studies, Tsukuba University, Japan, 2017
  • Assessing community values in the management of World Heritage: a Case Study from the Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications, Sri Lanka, The Journal of Archaeology and Heritage Management, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, 2016
  • Settlement Archaeology in Anuradhapura “Deegapasana” rock outcrop, Joint publication with Thusitha Mendis and chandana Withanachchi, 2016
  • Study on Formation & Evolution of Cultural Landscape of the historical port of Godawaya. Sarathi 10: 169-191, Central Provincial Council, Kandy, 2012
  • Geographical Information System (GIS) Data Model for Archaeological Fieldwork and Analysis Based on Anuradhapura Heritage Geodatabase. Sirimal Ranawella Felicitation Volume: 572-607. University of Ruhuna, S. Godage & Brothers, Colombo, 2011
  • Development of a GIS based generic Information Management System for Heritage City of Anuradhapura. Abstract Volume, The Socirty of South Asian Archaeology, Third International Congress: 1. Center for Sout Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, C Center for Sout Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya.Colombo, 2010
  • (Joint  author with  A. De Silva, R.M.M. Chandraratne, S. Goonewardene, W.M.R.P.K. Chandradasa and D. Ellepola). Evidence of Prehistoric Cave Dwellers Inhabiting the Knuckles Massif: Preliminary Archaeological Findings. The Herpetofauna of the Knuckles Range: 185-190. The University of Edinburgh, 2003
  • (Joint  author with A. De Silva, R.M.M. Chandraratne, S. Goonewardene, J. Darke, W.M.R.P.K. Chandradasa and J.A.D.M.M. Jayasuriya). Some Archaeological Monuments and Traditions of North East Knuckles. The Herpetofauna of the Knuckles Range: 197-200. University of Edinburgh, 2003

Appointments

  • Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Heritage Management, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2011 – present)
  • Visiting Lecturer in GIS, Department of History & Archaeology, University of Ruhuna (2009 – 2013)
  • Archaeological Research Assistant, Department of Archaeology (2009 – 2011)
  • Visiting Lecturer in GIS, Department of History & Archaeology, University of Sri Jayewardenapura (2009 – 2010)
  • Resource Person in GIS and Remote Sensing, Central Cultural Fund (2008 – 2009)
  • Visiting Lecturer in Archaeology, Department of Humanities, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (2008 – 2009)
  • Assistant Lecturer in Archaeology, department of Archaeology, University of Peradeniya (2006 – 2008)
  • Conducted the GIS workshop at the UNESCO Asia Pacific Regional Field School (Training-of-Trainers Programme) – Galle (2008)
  • Livelihoods Field officer, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies, (2006)

Memberships and Awards

  • Member-Sri Lanka Council for Archaeology
  • Member-Asian Academy for Heritage Management/UNESCO, ICCROM 
  • Life Member-Geo-informatics society of Sri Lanka. 
  • Full Scholarship for CBH 14, ICCROM, Rome (2014)
  • Scholarship for the AAHM Field School on Cultural Impact Assessment & Maritime Archaeology, UNESCO, ICCROM, Thailand (2007)
  • University scholarship for academic excellence, University of Peradeniya. (2005)
  • Prof. P. Leelananda Premathilake and Dr. Nanda Premathilake prize for archaeology, University of Peradeniya. (2005)

Trainings

  • International Training Program on Application of Very High Resolution Satellite Data in Natural Heritage Management, Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun, India (2017)
  • Capacity Building Workshop on Nature-­Culture Linkages in Heritage Conservation, University of Tsukuba, Japan (2016)
  • Conservation of Built Heritage (CBH14), ICCROM, Rome, Italy (2014)
  • Staff Development Course, Staff Development Unit, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka (2013)
  • Training of Trainers Workshop on “The Primer Series on ICTD for Youth” , UNAPCICT, Kukuleganga, Sri Lanka (2012)
  • Advanced Training on GIS on Underwater Cultural Heritage, UNESCO, Chanthaburi, Thailand (2010)
  • AAHM Field School on Cultural Impact Assessment & Maritime Archaeology, UNESCO, ICCROM, Galle, Sri Lanka (2007)

Work Experiences

As a resource person in Seminars/ Workshops/ Staff Development