A plate
- Period
- Historical
- Date
- 2025-08-13
- Materials
- Clay
- Dimensions
- THK-6.84mm, DM-25cm
- Site
- Godawaya Shipwreck
- Location
- Galle > Maritime Archaeology Museum > Gallery 01 > Cabinet 08
- Inventory
- 2025/SL/S/GDV/M/002/022
Full Description
In 2025, this complete plate was discovered at the Godavaya archaeological site, within the grid area N10-12 x W2-4. The vessel weighs approximately 1.018 kilograms, with a wall thickness of about 6.84 mm, and the rim diameter measures around 25 cm.
Historical Context
The ship, dated to the 2nd century BCE, contained pottery shards that are considered to belong to the 2nd–3rd centuries BCE. This has also been confirmed through analyses conducted on the pottery shards. The pottery found at the Godavaya site shows similarities to those discovered in the excavations at Tissamaharama and Anuradhapura. So far, evidence belonging to 11 ancient pottery types has been identified across the country. From the Godavaya site, pottery remnants corresponding to seven of these types have been uncovered. Accordingly, it is clear that these pottery vessels were used not only for domestic consumption but also in maritime navigation activities.
