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Complete Pot (water container) — Maritime Archaeology Museum

Complete Pot (water container)

Maritime Archaeology Museum Maritime History Historical
Period
Historical
Date
2025-08-25
Materials
Clay
Site
Godawaya Shipwreck
Location
Galle > Maritime Archaeology Museum > Gallery 01 > Cabinet 09
Inventory
2024/SL/S/GDV/M/002/038

Full Description

On April 22, 2024, this Complete Pot (water container) was discovered at the Godavaya archaeological site, within the grid area N10-12 x W8-10. The vessel has a height of 17.5 cm, a width of 7.5 cm, and weighs approximately 1.123 kilograms. The rim diameter measures about 7.5 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.