Godavaya or Godawaya is a small fishing
hamlet
''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...
located at the mouth of the
Walawe river, between
Ambalantota
Ambalantota is a coastal town in southern Sri Lanka. It is located in Southern Province in Hambantota District between Matara and Hambantota.
The Valave River meets the sea near Ambalantota.
The Ambalantota is famous for its ancient ruins of ...
and
Hambantota
Hambantota ( si, හම්බන්තොට, ta, அம்பாந்தோட்டை) is the main town in Hambantota District, Southern Province, Sri LankaThe prominent Malays (මැලේ) most part of the population is to be partly de ...
in the
Hambantota District
Hambantota District ( si, හම්බන්තොට දිස්ත්රික්කය ''hambantoṭa distrikkaya''; ta, அம்பாந்தோட்டை மாவட்டம் ''Ampāntōṭṭai māvaṭṭam'') is a district i ...
in southern
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
.
It received its name, originally ''Goda Pavata Pattana'' or ''Gota Pabbata Pattana'' (meaning 'small rock harbour') from a huge rock overlooking the
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...
, at the foot of which it is situated. The original
harbour
A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is a ...
town was an
entrepot on the maritime
silk route
The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
from at least the 2nd century CE.
It has been the site of extensive excavations by
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
and Sri Lanka
Archaeologists
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
since 1994.
Godavaya is also the site if a
wildlife sanctuary
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or o ...
. The beach is important for nesting
leatherback turtles.
History
The Godavaya area has been inhabited for about 7000 years. In August 2008, a
human skeleton dating back to 3000-5000 BC (
carbon dating
Radiocarbon dating (also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon, a radioactive isotope of carbon.
The method was dev ...
has yet to be done) was discovered in an abandoned stone quarry at Godavaya, together with tools of
animal-bone and
stone
In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...
. In honour of the discoverer of the site, German archaeologist Oliver Kessler, the skeletons were named Olli 1 -3.
The settlement of ''Goda Pavata Pattana'', lay sandwiched on the
peninsula
A peninsula (; ) is a landform that extends from a mainland and is surrounded by water on most, but not all of its borders. A peninsula is also sometimes defined as a piece of land bordered by water on three of its sides. Peninsulas exist on all ...
between the inland harbour on the Walawe river and the sea harbour on the bay of Godavaya.
Trade
Trade involves the transfer of goods and services from one person or entity to another, often in exchange for money. Economists refer to a system or network that allows trade as a market.
An early form of trade, barter, saw the direct excha ...
was an important component in the
economy
An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...
of ancient Sri Lanka and Godavaya was an important maritime settlement, serving Tissamaharama and Ridiyagama in the kingdom of
Ruhuna
The Principality of Ruhuna, also referred to as the Kingdom of Ruhuna, is a region of present-day Southern and Eastern Sri Lanka. It was the center of a flourishing civilisation and the cultural and economic centres of ancient Sri Lanka. Magama, T ...
.
The Godavaya port probably pre-dates a
Brahmi script
Brahmi (; ; ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system of ancient South Asia. "Until the late nineteenth century, the script of the Aśokan (non-Kharosthi) inscriptions and its immediate derivatives was referred to by various names such as 'lath' o ...
inscription of the 2nd-century king ''Gamani Abaya'', probably
Gajabahu I
Gajabahu I (lit. 'Elephant-Arm'), also known as Gajabahuka Gamani (c. 113 – 135 CE), was a Sinhalese king of Rajarata in Sri Lanka. He is renowned for his military prowess, religious benefactions, extensive involvement in South Indian polit ...
, which states that the customs duties obtained there were dedicated to the Buddhist
monastery
A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which ...
, the Godapavata
Vihara.
However, in the
Mahawamsa's chapter on 'The 12 kings', it is claimed that the vihara at ''Gotapabbata'' was one of the seven monasteries that
Mahallaka Naga built after his son-in-law Gajabahu's death.
In ancient times, Sri Lanka exported dark red
garnet
Garnets () are a group of silicate minerals that have been used since the Bronze Age as gemstones and abrasives.
All species of garnets possess similar physical properties and crystal forms, but differ in chemical composition. The different s ...
s, which have been found as burial objects in many European graves of the early
mediaeval period. Recent research reveals that most of those garnets were from
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and Sri Lanka. Godavaya had ease of access via the Walawe river to the gem mining area of the Walawe basin, which is a source of garnets.
Until the 6th century, Godavaya was an important transit port. Ships carrying merchandise from the West exchanged commodities with ships from
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
carrying
silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the coc ...
. Hence, ships did not need to go further than Godavaya. Articles of trade on the Walawe river shipping route and on land routes were also swapped there.
Godavaya was the seaport for the mediaeval (11th century) southern capital, Maha Nagakula which lay on the Walawe river.
Excavations
From 1994 onwards, a team of
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
s from the
University of Bonn
The Rhenish Friedrich Wilhelm University of Bonn (german: Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn) is a public research university located in Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It was founded in its present form as the ( en, Rhine U ...
directed by late Prof. Dr.
Helmut Roth, Dr.
Udo Recker (1994-1996) and
Oliver Kessler M.A. (1997 onwards) conducted joint excavations at Godavaya with the
Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka, under Director General Dr. W.H. Wijeyapala and the
German Archaeological Institute
The German Archaeological Institute (german: Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, ''DAI'') is a research institute in the field of archaeology (and other related fields). The DAI is a "federal agency" under the Federal Foreign Office of Germany ...
(DAI). They unearthed evidence to prove Godavaya's importance in the maritime
Silk Route
The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
, revealing connections from China in the east to the
Red Sea
The Red Sea ( ar, البحر الأحمر - بحر القلزم, translit=Modern: al-Baḥr al-ʾAḥmar, Medieval: Baḥr al-Qulzum; or ; Coptic: ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϩⲁϩ ''Phiom Enhah'' or ⲫⲓⲟⲙ ⲛ̀ϣⲁⲣⲓ ''Phiom ǹšari''; T ...
and to Europe in the west.
Among the finds have been:
*
Sassanian
The Sasanian () or Sassanid Empire, officially known as the Empire of Iranians (, ) and also referred to by historians as the Neo-Persian Empire, was the last Iranian empire before the early Muslim conquests of the 7th-8th centuries AD. Named ...
(
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
)
*
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
coins
A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order to ...
and
Han
Han may refer to:
Ethnic groups
* Han Chinese, or Han People (): the name for the largest ethnic group in China, which also constitutes the world's largest ethnic group.
** Han Taiwanese (): the name for the ethnic group of the Taiwanese p ...
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...
*
beads
A bead is a small, decorative object that is formed in a variety of shapes and sizes of a material such as stone, bone, shell, glass, plastic, wood, or pearl and with a small hole for threading or stringing. Beads range in size from under ...
and
bangle
Bangles are traditionally rigid bracelets which are usually made of metal, wood, glass or plastic. These ornament are worn mostly by women in the Indian subcontinent, Southeastern Asia, Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. It is common to see a bride ...
s
*
brick
A brick is a type of block used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a block composed of dried clay, but is now also used informally to denote other chemically cured cons ...
s showing
guild marks in the shape of an 'O'
*an ancient landing
jetty
A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying somet ...
constructed on stone pillars up to 3.50 metres high
*a large ancient stone
anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal , used to secure a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the craft from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ''ancora'', which itself comes from the Greek ἄγ ...
discovered underwater
Gota Pabbata Rajamaha Vihara Monastery
On top of the rock overlooking the entire area lay the monastery, the ''Gota Pabbatha Rajamaha Vihara'', which had been a religious and administrative centre since the reign of King Gajabahu I. The Brahmi inscription on a rock next to the ancient
shrine room is unique, being the sole evidence for the transfer of
customs duties
A tariff is a tax imposed by the government of a country or by a supranational union on imports or exports of goods. Besides being a source of revenue for the government, import duties can also be a form of regulation of foreign trade and poli ...
to a monastery in the Indian Ocean world at that period.
Normally, only the king was allowed to collect taxes. In Godavaya, the tax fees were donated to the temple for its maintenance.
The monastery area was excavated by a team under Oliver Kessler, who discovered an elevated ancient
image house (Buddhu gedera) and a
chapter house
A chapter house or chapterhouse is a building or room that is part of a cathedral, monastery or collegiate church in which meetings are held. When attached to a cathedral, the cathedral chapter meets there. In monasteries, the whole communi ...
(Dharma salawa) on the west side of the monastery. They found a standing
Buddha
Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a śramaṇa, wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism.
According to Buddhist tradition, he was ...
statue about 3.50 metres tall and two
Bodhisattva
In Buddhism, a bodhisattva ( ; sa, 𑀩𑁄𑀥𑀺𑀲𑀢𑁆𑀢𑁆𑀯 (Brahmī), translit=bodhisattva, label=Sanskrit) or bodhisatva is a person who is on the path towards bodhi ('awakening') or Buddhahood.
In the Early Buddhist schools ...
statues each about 1.80 metres in height. Traces of
weather-resistant colouring - the source of which is unclear - are evidence that the statues date back to a period before the 8th century.
Customs house
The team found a custom office building, decorated with ornaments showing an
elephant
Elephants are the largest existing land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant, the African forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. They are the only surviving members of the family Elephantidae an ...
placing his trunk in
lotus flowers.
Clay seals bearing the emblem of a
lion
The lion (''Panthera leo'') is a large Felidae, cat of the genus ''Panthera'' native to Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body; short, rounded head; round ears; and a hairy tuft at the end of its tail. It is sexually dimorphi ...
were used to seal goods and cargo as proof that the customs duty was paid.
Quarry
A quarry was also discovered. One big pillar covered with many drill marks dating to the middle
Anuradhapura
Anuradhapura ( si, අනුරාධපුරය, translit=Anurādhapuraya; ta, அனுராதபுரம், translit=Aṉurātapuram) is a major city located in north central plain of Sri Lanka. It is the capital city of North Central ...
period before the 5th century, lies in front of the huge rock, close to the ocean.
Shipwreck
In late 2008, an underwater search of the seas around Godavaya, carried out by the Central Cultural Fund, revealed the
wreck of a ship, possibly dating back to 2nd century BC-1st century AD. Together with the ship were found black and red ware
pottery
Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and por ...
- dating from the 2nd century BC to the 4th century - together with a stone
throne
A throne is the seat of state of a potentate or dignitary, especially the seat occupied by a sovereign on state occasions; or the seat occupied by a pope or bishop on ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monar ...
and coloured
ball clay
Ball clays are kaolinitic sedimentary clays that commonly consist of 20–80% kaolinite, 10–25% mica, 6–65% quartz. Localized seams in the same deposit have variations in composition, including the quantity of the major minerals, accessory ...
for making painted roofing
tile
Tiles are usually thin, square or rectangular coverings manufactured from hard-wearing material such as ceramic, stone, metal, baked clay, or even glass. They are generally fixed in place in an array to cover roofs, floors, walls, edges, or o ...
s.
Godavaya wildlife sanctuary
Godavaya is home to five of the seven global marine
turtle
Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
:
hawksbill
The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution, that is large ...
,
leatherback
The leatherback sea turtle (''Dermochelys coriacea''), sometimes called the lute turtle or leathery turtle or simply the luth, is the largest of all living turtles and the heaviest non-crocodilian reptile, reaching lengths of up to and weights ...
,
green turtle
The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the Family (biology), family Cheloniidae. It is the only species
In biology, a spec ...
,
loggerhead and
olive ridley turtle
The olive ridley sea turtle (''Lepidochelys olivacea''), also known commonly as the Pacific ridley sea turtle, is a species of turtle in the family Cheloniidae. The species is the second-smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in th ...
, which are all threatened. It has been proposed that the leatherback turtles of Sri Lanka and the
Nicobar Islands
The Nicobar Islands are an archipelagic island chain in the eastern Indian Ocean. They are located in Southeast Asia, northwest of Aceh on Sumatra, and separated from Thailand to the east by the Andaman Sea. Located southeast of the Indian s ...
form a separate, genetically distinct Indian Ocean subpopulation.
Godavaya beach is possibly the best leatherback turtle nesting beach in the island,
[http://lists.ufl.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0502&L=cturtle&T=0&P=9512 'First Turtle Refuge in Sri Lanka' CTurtle Archives 20 February 2005.] with the largest nesting population.
A 3.85 kilometre section of the beach at Godavaya was declared a wildlife sanctuary ('Godavaya Sanctuary') by the Government of Sri Lanka under the Fauna and Flora Protection
Ordinance
Ordinance may refer to:
Law
* Ordinance (Belgium), a law adopted by the Brussels Parliament or the Common Community Commission
* Ordinance (India), a temporary law promulgated by the President of India on recommendation of the Union Cabinet
* ...
on 10 May 2006. It extends 500 metres into the sea and 100 metres from the high tide level onto the land.
The seaward limit includes the turtles' aquatic
habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
(mainly
coral reef
A coral reef is an underwater ecosystem characterized by reef-building corals. Reefs are formed of colonies of coral polyps held together by calcium carbonate. Most coral reefs are built from stony corals, whose polyps cluster in groups.
Co ...
s where they forage and rest), while the land limit envelopes their land Nesting habitat.
Tsunami
When the
Boxing Day tsunami
An earthquake and a tsunami, known as the Boxing Day Tsunami and, by the scientific community, the Sumatra–Andaman earthquake, occurred at 07:58:53 local time (UTC+7) on 26 December 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of northern Suma ...
of 2004 struck Sri Lanka, the villagers of the fishing hamlet, among them two archaeologists, took refuge in the temple on the rock. This probably contributed to the lack of fatalities, contrasting with the thousands of deaths in the surrounding areas.
[http://servesrilanka.blogspot.com/2005_03_20_archive.html How Godawaya village got back to its feet Daily News 23 March 2005]
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
* Archäologischer Anzeiger 2009/1, Beiheft, Jahresbericht des DAI, S. 358–360.
* Kessler, Oliver (1998): The Discovery of an Ancient Sea Port at the Silk Road of the Sea. Archaeological Relics of the Godavaya Harbaour. In: M. Domroes/H. Roth (Hrsg.): Sri Lanka, Past and Present. Weikersheim 1998, S. 12–37.
* Kessler, Oliver (2001a), zus. mit H. Roth/U. Recker/W. Wijeypala: The Godavaya Harbour Site. Report on the Excavations 1994–1997. H.-J. Weisshaar/H. Roth/W. Wijeypala (Hrsg.): Ancient Ruhuna. Sri Lankan-German Archaeological Project in the Southern Province, Vol. 1. Mainz 2001, S. 291–326.
* Kessler, Oliver (2001b): Der spätantik-frühmittelalterliche Handel zwischen Europa und Asien und die Bedeutung des Almandins als Fernhandelsgut. E. Pohl/U. Recker/C. Theune (Hrsg.): Archäologisches Zellwerk, Beiträge zur Kulturgeschichte in Europa und Asien. Festschrift für Helmut Roth zum 60. Geburtstag. Internationale Archäologie: Studia honoraria; Bd. 16. Rahden/Westf. 2001, S. 113–128.
* Kessler, Oliver (2003): The Excavations at Godavaya (Godapavata Patana). An ancient Sea Port and Trading Station at the Silk Road of the Sea. In: Administration Report for Ceylon 1996. Colombo 2003, S. 48–50.
* Kessler, Oliver (2008): Excavations at Godavaya and a Recently Unearthed, Hitherto Unknown 2nd Century Inscription of King Gajabahu I. Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference of the European Association of South Asian Archaeologists, Leiden 1999. Raven, Ellen M. (Hrsg.): South Asian archaeology 1999 : proceedings of the fifteenth International Conference of the European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists, held at the Universiteit Leiden, 5–9 July 1999. (Gonda indological studies 15). Groningen 2008.
External links
{{coord missing, Sri Lanka
Archaeological sites in Sri Lanka
Populated places in Hambantota District
Cenozoic paleontological sites of Asia
Populated places in Southern Province, Sri Lanka
Protected areas in Southern Province, Sri Lanka
Wildlife sanctuaries of Sri Lanka