Reimagining Sigiriya Frescoes: Legal Implications of Interpreting the Figures as Performers in Tangible Cultural Heritage Management

This research examines the legal implications of reinterpreting the Sigiriya frescoes as representations of performers within Sri Lanka's tangible cultural heritage management framework. The study addresses how alternative scholarly interpretations of heritage artifacts can be accommodated within existing legal structures while maintaining compliance with authenticity and protection requirements. The research employs a doctrinal legal methodology, analyzing exclusively Sri Lankan heritage legislation and international UNESCO instruments governing World Heritage Sites. Primary sources include the Antiquities Ordinance, Sigiriya Heritage Foundation Act, Cultural Property Act, UNESCO World Heritage Convention, and Operational Guidelines. The analysis reveals that existing legal frameworks provide sufficient flexibility to accommodate performer-based interpretations without requiring statutory amendments. Such reinterpretation could expand the site's cultural value recognition, creating pathways for integrated heritage management approaches that connect tangible and intangible heritage elements. However, implementation requires careful documentation to ensure consistency with established heritage records and compliance with authenticity standards. The research demonstrates that while legal frameworks support interpretive evolution, successful reinterpretation must balance scholarly innovation with preservation integrity. The findings contribute to understanding how heritage law can adapt to evolving cultural interpretations while maintaining fundamental protection objectives for sites of Outstanding Universal Value.