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Maritime Archaeology Unit: Safeguarding the Underwater Cultural Heritage

Maritime Archaeology Unit: Safeguarding the Underwater Cultural Heritage

Sri Lanka

Rasika Muthucumarana

Introduction

Sri Lanka has both documentary and archaeological evidence for a civilization that spans over two-and-a-half millennia. Sri Lanka had also been an important center in a global trade world stretching from Rome to China, from India to Indonesia, from Indonesia to Madagascar and East Africa. The waters of this area were crisscrossed by "sewn" ships and land routes by caravans of the "ships of the desert"; by traders and by travelers, by mariners, merchants, and monks.

Map of Sri Lanka
Map of Sri Lanka showing its strategic position in the Indian Ocean.

Recent Discoveries

During the last fifty years, many wrecks of Dutch and European steam powered ships, circa 17th century CE have been discovered around Sri Lanka. Stone anchors used by Chinese and Arab traders of 13th-14th century CE are suggestive of wrecks of different origins. The era beyond that is shrouded in mystery. Recent investigations by the Maritime Archaeology Unit of Sri Lanka have shed light on some of these ancient ghosts.

A wooden wreck located in 2008 in southern Sri Lanka was dated to the 2nd century BCE. Now known as the Godawaya wreck, it is still under excavation as of this writing. In recent years many systematic and random explorations were carried out. Archival research and remote sensing expeditions were conducted alongside close work with local divers and fishermen.

The Maritime Archaeology Unit

The Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) was founded in 2001 under the aegis of the Mutual Heritage Centre. It is managed by the Central Cultural Fund and sponsored by the Netherlands Cultural Fund for specific projects. Following the early research and explorations connected with the Galle Harbour Project of 1992, the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) and the Department of Archaeology took the initiative to make maritime archaeologists and conservators out of the archaeology graduates from the relevant institutes and the universities.

The main intention is to develop the maritime archaeological field in Sri Lanka in order to protect the country's valuable underwater cultural heritage.

Maritime archaeology fieldwork in Sri Lanka
Maritime archaeology fieldwork in Sri Lanka.
Excavation and research work on 18th century shipwrecks
Excavation and research work on 18th century shipwrecks along the East Coast.

The Godawaya Shipwreck

The Godawaya shipwreck site, located on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, dates to the 2nd century BCE. It is considered probably the oldest known shipwreck in the Indian Ocean, providing invaluable evidence for early regional seafaring in South Asia.

Godawaya shipwreck site, Southern Coast of Sri Lanka
Godawaya shipwreck site (2nd century BCE), Southern Coast of Sri Lanka.
Underwater view of the Godawaya shipwreck site
Underwater view of the Godawaya shipwreck site.

Facilities and Infrastructure

The Unit consists of an archaeological diving unit, conservation laboratory and a research library, which is situated on one of the jetties of the old harbour of Galle. Apart from that, the Maritime Archaeology Museum is located inside the Galle fort. Teams of maritime archaeologists and conservators from Central Cultural Fund and other related institutes are working at Galle.

Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage

Sri Lankan legislation already provides strong protection and a framework for management. There is still a need, however, to find pathways to effectively apply legislation to better protect the UCH in this country. The formal adoption of the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, which Sri Lanka hopes to ratify, is a further step in the right direction.

Fortunately, Sri Lanka is not burdened with well-organized treasure hunters with modern technology that impact so heavily on submerged cultural heritage in other parts of the world, but small scale looting and collection does occur around the country. Apart from enforcing the existing law, the best way to protect the underwater cultural heritage is awareness. The Maritime Archaeology Unit spends considerable time and resources to record and monitor shipwreck sites as well as building awareness among the local diving and fishing community.

MAU Team at Godawaya Shipwreck Site
MAU Team at Godawaya Shipwreck Site.

Bibliography of UCH in Sri Lanka

Online Resources

  • Central Cultural Fund (2012) UNESCO – AAHM Field School. Available at: http://www.mausrilanka.lk/projects/Projects.html
  • Central Cultural Fund (2013) Ancient port city of Godawaya and the recent discovery of the unknown wooden wreck with Black & Red Ware. Available at: http://www.mausrilanka.lk/sub%20pages/Godawaya.html
  • Cultural Heritage Connections (CHC) (2011a) UNESCO field school for Underwater Cultural Heritage.
  • Cultural Heritage Connections (CHC) (2011b) Advanced Course on GIS Application in the Management of Underwater Archaeology.
  • Devendra, S., Muthucumarana, Rasika., (2013), Maritime Archaeology and Sri Lanka. academia.edu
  • Devendra, S., Muthucumarana, Rasika., (2015), Shipwrecks Around The World. academia.edu
  • Gunawardhana, A. and Ariyawansa V. (2012) Fifty Years After Ran Muthu Duwa. Daily News [online] 07 August 2012.
  • Muthucumarana, Rasika., (2008) A Fight For The Blue: Maritime Archaeology in a Developing Nation. academia.edu
  • Muthucumarana, Rasika., (2008), Recently discovered shipwrecks in Sri Lankan waters. academia.edu
  • Muthucumarana, Rasika., (2014), Preliminary assessment of an early historic 2000 year old shipwreck at Godawaya Sri Lanka. academia.edu
  • Muthucumarana, Rasika., (2014), An Early Historic Assemblage Offshore of Godawaya Sri Lanka: Evidence for Early Regional Seafaring in South Asia. academia.edu
  • Parthesius, R., (2005), Preliminary Report on the Excavation of the 17th Century Anglo Dutch East Indiaman Avondster in Bay of Galle Sri Lanka. academia.edu

Publications

  • Bonke, H., Parthesius, R., Ketel, C. P. (eds) (2007) Artefact Catalogue of Avondster Site 1998-2004. Special Publication No 02. The Netherlands: The Centre for International Heritage Activities.
  • Clarke, A. C. (1957) The Reefs of Taprobane. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Bros.
  • Clarke, A. C. (1964) The Treasure of the Great Reef. 1st ed. New York: Harper & Row.
  • Clarke, A. C. (1974) The Treasure of the Great Reef. 1st revised print. New York: Ballantine Books Inc.
  • Godakumbura, C.E. (1964) Administration Report of the Archaeological Commission for the Financial Year 1962-63. Ceylon: Government Press.
  • Green, J., Devendra, S. (eds) (1993) Maritime Archaeology of Sri Lanka – The Galle Harbour Project – 1992. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology.
  • Green, J., Parthesius, R. (eds) (1997) Galle – Port City in History. Special Publication No 2. Australia: National Centre of Excellence in Maritime Archaeology.
  • Muthucumarana, R. (ed) (2005) Maritime Lanka Magazine. Colombo, Sri Lanka: Central Cultural Fund.
  • Parthesius, R., Miller, K., Devendra, S., Green, J. (eds) (2003) Avondster Project Report 2001-2002. The Netherlands: Amsterdam Historical Museum.
  • Prott, L.V. (ed.) (2006) Finishing the Interrupted Voyage: Papers of the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Workshop on the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Leicester: Institute of Art and Law.
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