Explore the extraordinary artistry and historical significance of Sri Lanka’s finest heritage artifacts with Ancient and Traditional Boxes, Caskets, and Chests in Sri Lankan Museums: Volume I – 8th to 18th Century Boxes, Caskets and Chests. Authored by P. H. D. H. De Silva and Senarath Wickramasinghe, this meticulously researched work unveils the splendor of boxes, caskets, and chests crafted between the 8th and 18th centuries.
 
This groundbreaking volume catalogs and examines a rich collection preserved in Sri Lanka’s National Museums and other institutions, showcasing artifacts made from diverse materials such as wood, ivory, tortoiseshell, copper, brass, and silver. From jewel boxes and work boxes to rare ivory caskets and intricately decorated chests, the authors provide unparalleled insight into their cultural and artistic contexts.
 
Key features include:
 
Detailed descriptions of over a thousand artifacts, based on a three-year study of collections across Colombo, Anuradhapura, and Polonnaruwa.
A discussion of rare ivory caskets, including royal gifts from the Kingdom of Kotte to European monarchs, with connections to global museum collections like the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
References to Ananda Coomaraswamy’s seminal observations in Mediaeval Sinhalese Art (1908) and an exploration of Indo-Portuguese influences on Sri Lankan craftsmanship.
 
With contributions from international museums and scholars, this signed first edition is a treasure trove for art historians, collectors, and enthusiasts of Sri Lankan heritage.