The presence of man activities in Sri Lanka probably dates from 75,000 years ago (late Pleistocene period).
Prehistoric sites which are presently identified in the country are distributed from the maritime belt and the lowland plains of the wet and dry zones to the high plateaus and rain forests in the central and southwestern mountain regions of the island.
However, the first clear information about the establishment of buildings and structures are dated back to the time of king Pandukabhaya (437–367 BC).
Sri Lanka's political and religious history is mainly set out by the ancient chronicles as well as over 4,000 stone inscriptions from the 3rd century BC onward.
According to sections 16, 17, 18, and 19 of the Antiquities Ordinance No.09 of 1940, the minister who is in charge of the subject may declare the ancient monuments by notification published in the government Gazette.