Arts and Crafts

Owing to its long, rich history, the Arts & Crafts in Sri Lanka have been evolving through the course of time. Its pivotal position on the ancient Silk Route made Sri Lanka a crossroad of cultural and trade exchange of the West and the East. India and China’s record have proven the cultural, political and trade exuberance of this island. In many ways Sri Lankan arts is an inspiration of its long and lasting Buddhist tradition which in turn absorbed and adopted countless regional and local tradition for thousand of years, evolving to be a unique variant of Sri Lankan arts. Unsurprising, most of Sri Lankan arts originated religious beliefs, represented in many artistic forms such as painting, sculpture, architecture, and so on. Indian culture has also made a big impact in the Arts & Crafts in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan Mask

The Indian Buddhist culture introduced along with Buddhism into Sri Lanka in the 3rd century B.C has become an integral part of Sri Lankan culture ever since. Nonetheless, this has not hindered the formation of a distinctively Sri Lankan tradition to express in its own ways. Sri Lankan artistic style varied from kingdom to kingdom along its historic lines, each of which has successively added some characteristic elements to the Arts & Crafts in Sri Lanka, eventually turning into the heritage we can see today.

Architecture

Architecture in Sri Lanka is closely based on religious beliefs like most other forms of Sri Lankan arts, and Buddhism is one of the most influential elements. Not only Buddhism, Hinduism is another important influence on Sri Lankan architecture represented as the Hindu temples and shrines of the Hindu Tamils. Since Sri Lanka has been occupied by three generations of colonization, beginning with the Portuguese, followed by the Dutch and finally the British, the architecture in Sri Lanka has developed and influenced by those three culture through the course of time. The colonial legacy as seen in ancient buildings in the country enhances the charm of Sri Lanka. So to say that, Sri Lanka is a place where different cultures have intertwined together create a culture and a heritage unlike any other in the world would be a fitting description.

Handicrafts

Sri Lanka has an extensive variety of handicrafts representing the rich craftsmanship tracing back multiple generations. Tourists can find the excellent collection of Sri Lankan handicrafts in shops and stores throughout the country. For an in-depth look at the exquisite talent of Sri Lankan craftsman read our article on Handicrafts in Sri Lanka.

Sculpture and painting

It is Buddhism again which has left a profound impression on the Arts & Crafts in Sri Lanka. In sculpturing, most works were dominated by structures of the Buddha. In early times, the statues of Buddha were often carved from the living rock of li