The U.S. Embassy in Sri Lanka, together with the Central Cultural Fund’s Maritime Archaeology Unit, will host an exhibition and symposium focused on the Godawaya Shipwreck from September 3 to 5 at the BMICH Cinema Lounge in Colombo. The event aims to highlight ongoing efforts to document and preserve artifacts from this ancient maritime site.
The exhibition opens to the public at 11:00 a.m. on September 3 and will be accessible daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on September 4 and 5.
Located off the coast of Godawaya, a fishing village in southern Sri Lanka, the Godawaya Ancient Shipwreck is considered the oldest known wooden shipwreck in the Asia-Pacific region, dating back more than two millennia to the 1st or 2nd century BCE. This site offers important information about early Indian Ocean trade routes and seafaring practices.
Funding for this project comes from the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), which is a U.S. Government program supporting global efforts to protect cultural heritage. Through AFCP support, experts have recovered artifacts such as clay pottery, grinding stones, glass and metal ingots, and carnelian beads from Godawaya. These findings provide evidence of Sri Lanka’s role in historical regional trade networks and cultural exchanges.
"Ongoing conservation and research efforts aim to uncover the ship’s exact origin and further illuminate its place in maritime history," according to organizers.
The symposium will feature maritime archaeologists and cultural specialists who will discuss both the significance of the Godawaya site and broader issues related to protecting Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage. Artifacts retrieved from the wreck are set to be preserved and displayed at the Maritime Archaeology Museum in Galle so they can be viewed by local residents as well as international visitors.
"This initiative reflects the enduring U.S.–Sri Lanka partnership in heritage preservation and advancing research for future generations," event organizers stated.
The exhibition also highlights shared interests between Sri Lanka and the United States regarding peace, security, and safeguarding sovereign rights across the Indo-Pacific region.