Name Siran Deraniyagala | ||
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Parents Paules Edward Pieris Deraniyagala Education University of London, University of Cambridge, Harvard University | ||
Dr. Siran Upendra Deraniyagala (born 1942) was former Director-General of Archaeology, Sri Lanka (1992 – 2001).
Siran Uprendra Deraniyagala was born in 1942 in Chilaw, the third of four sons of Paules Edward Pieris (Director of the National Museum of Ceylon (1939-1963)) and Prini née Molamure. His grandfather was Sir Paulus "Paul" Edward Pieris.
Siran completed his school education at St. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia. He obtained a BA and MA in Architecture and Sanskrit at Trinity College, Cambridge before completing a postgraduate Diploma at the Institute of Archaeology, University of London. At the Institute he qualified with distinction and was awarded the Gordon Childe Prize, as one of two best all-round students in all fields of archaeology. In 1968 he joined the Archaeological Survey Department of Sri Lanka as the Assistant Commissioner in charge of scientific excavations. In 1968 Siran discovered ancient human burials in the Fa Hien Cave. In 1969 he oversaw the excavation at the Citadel of Anuradhapura.
Siran then completed a PhD at Harvard University in 1988. In 1992 he was appointed as the Director-General of Archaeology, a position he held until 2001.