A plate
- Period
- Historical
- Date
- 2025-08-01
- Materials
- Clay
- Dimensions
- H-5cm, W-21cm
- Site
- Godawaya Shipwreck
- Location
- Galle > Maritime Archaeology Museum > Gallery 01 > Cabinet 08
- Inventory
- 2008/SL/S/Goda/M/02/05
Full Description
In 2008, this plate was discovered at the Godavaya archaeological site. This type of clay vessel was used for food consumption. The vessel features a simple rim without any grooves or decorations.The rim of this vessel is thin and short, while the base is broad. The sherd has a height of 5 cm and a width of 21 cm. Its color ranges from reddish-brown to dark brown. The vessel has a medium luster and a surface texture. It is composed of clay mixed with fine sand.
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.
