Sigiriya in the Central Province of Sri Lanka is primarily famous for its ancient paintings of glorious female figures, which have contributed to its declaration as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The paintings have been studied by the Archaeological Commissioners, who have been responsible by law for their care since the establishment of the Archaeological Survey Department (ASD) in 1890. Doubtless, other local scholars have written on these paintings, and art historians from abroad have commented on this site and its paintings in their publications on Indian art. They are all of the opinion that the paintings at what is manifestly the Buddhist monastic site of Sigiriya and the Buddhist monastery at Ajanta in India are closely related.
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