The Dambulla Rock Temple in Sri Lanka dates back to the 1st century BC and contains five caves carved under an overhanging rock shelter. The caves walls and ceilings are decorated with religious paintings and the temple remains an active site. UNESCO has worked to conserve the temple since the 1960s by cleaning the murals and later implementing a project from 1982-1996 to reconstruct parts of the monument while keeping original features. UNESCO's involvement aims to improve infrastructure and protect the site given its World Heritage status, with ongoing efforts such as expanding the protected zone around the complex.

1. DAMBULLA ROCK TEMPLE
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

2. CONTENTS
 DESCRIPTION
 OBJECTIVE
 UNESCO
 CENTRAL CULTURAL FUND
 DAMBULLA ROCK TEMPLE
 ASSISTANCE OF UNESCO TO PROTECT
AND MAINTAIN THE MONUMENT

3. DESCRIPTION
Conservation material context of past human societies is
one of the main goals of Archaeology. It requires latest
technology, deep study of written history and ability to see
the ground through archaeological scope.

4. OBJECTIVE
Objective of this presentation is to study and analyze about
the importance of Dambulla Rock Temple and the
assistance provided by UNESCO to protect and restore the
monument.

5. UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).

6. Its purpose is to contribute to peace and security by promoting
international collaboration through education, science, and culture in
order to further universal respect for justice, the rule of law, and
human rights along with fundamental freedom proclaimed in
the United Nations Charter. It is the heir of the League of
Nations' International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation.

7. CENTRALCULTURAL FUND
The Central Cultural Fund was the implementing
agency for the UNESCO- Sri Lanka cultural Triangle
from 1980 to 1997, covering World Heritage Sites of
Anuradhapura including Abhayagiriya and Jetavana
Monasteries, Polonnaruwa, Sigiriya, Dambulla and
Kandy. This is the largest ever heritage conservation
programme carried out in Sri Lanka and one of the
most successful UNESCO sponsored programme. A
campaign was launched through the UNESCO to
obtain initial funds from the international community
and agencies to commence the work.

8. DAMBULLAROCK TEMPLE
This temple complex dates back to the 1st century BC. It has five
caves under a vast overhanging rock, carved with a drip line to keep
the interiors dry. In 1938 the architecture was embellished with arched
colonnades and gabled entrances..

9. Inside the caves, the ceilings are painted with intricate
patterns of religious images following the contours of the
rock. There are images of the Lord Buddha and
bodhisattvas, as well as various gods and goddesses.

10. The temple is composed of five caves, which have been converted
into shrine rooms. The caves, built at the base of a 150m high rock
during the Anuradhapura (1st century BC to 993 AD) and
Polonnaruwa times (1073 to 1250), are by far the most impressive of
the many cave temples found in Sri Lanka.

12. The Dambulla cave monastery is still functional and
remains the best-preserved ancient edifice in Sri Lanka.

13. ASSISTANCE OF UNESCO
Conservation at the Dambulla Temple Complex has primarily
concentrated on the preservation of its mural schemes. Senake
Bandaranayake reports that the schemes were cleaned during an
initial conservation project during the 1960s which involved the
cleaning of the murals and the application of a protective coating.

14. UNESCO maid their involvement by commencing a joined project of
reconstructing the monument during 1982-1996 in collaboration with
Dambulla Temple Authorities. They implemented the policy of
keeping the original features unaltered during the conservation.

15. As the Dambulla Temple remains an active ritual centre, the
conservation plans of the 1982-1996 project were directed at
improving the infrastructure and accessibility of the site in accordance
with its UNESCO world heritage status.

16. More recent inspections by UNESCO in 2003 have proposed an
expansion to the existing protected zone around the complex in order
to minimize damage to surrounding archaeological features.

17. THE END …..