Maritime timeline — National Shipwreck Database

L-R: Rodney Jonklaas, Mike Wilson & Sir Arthur C Clarke 1956 https://arthurcclarke.org

October 14, 1960

The first exposure

In the early 1960s, sports divers Arthur C. Clarke, Mike Wilson and Rodney Jonklaas’ chance discovery of silver coins on a wreck near the Great Basses lighthouse shone a spotlight on this field. It was called the “Silver Wreck” because it was carrying sacks of Mogul silver coins minted in Surat, India and dated 1702. (Clarke 1964:19–21). Since its discovery, many silver coins from the wreck have been taken out of Sri Lanka and sold. While a few are now in foreign museums, the great majority were stolen and ended up in private hands or in jewellery. Even today, coins are sometimes being secretly sold in Sri Lanka. In his book, “The Treasure of the Great Reef” (1964), The interest generated by this incident made the Sri Lankan government and scholars think about the positive contributions that could be made by the nation’s underwater cultural heritage, and recognize the need for this type of heritage to receive special attention.

Peter Throckmorton and his site plan of the Silver coin wreck https://arthurcclarke.org and https://lorensteffy.wordpress.com

March 3, 1963

From Treasure hunting to systematic researches

The discovery of the Silver Wreck and the subsequent looting of this and other wreck sites during the 1970s stimulated authorities and practitioners to examine their underwater cultural heritage management and legislative frameworks. The Department had no idea at all about maritime archaeology and was no doubt relieved that a recognized maritime archaeologist happened to be available. Peter Throckmorton, one of the pioneer underwater archaeologists who was surveying a Roman wreck in Greece, has been invited to do a systematic study of the newly found wreck. conducted a survey and study very much in keeping with the prevailing standards, and published his work both in book form and in academic journals. Clarke, a writer of fiction, wrote several popular books, drawing upon Throckmorton’s research. Throckmorton says ‘I am grateful to the Director of the Department of Antiquities, Dr C. E. Godakumbura and his assistant, Dr Roland Silva, for their assistance and for the department’s permission to export small samples, of no intrinsic value, for analysis’ (Throckmorton, 1964, footnote, p.70)

The Silver coins and other artefacts from the wreck https://arthurcclarke.org and Rasika Muthucumarana

March 3, 1964

Wrecks for Souvenir collectors

Discovery of the Silver Wreck, however, did not lead to any more work in maritime archaeology, remaining an isolated incident. The techniques of Undersea Archaeology are being successfully applied in other parts of the world and it has to be admitted that Ceylon lags far behind. There is always the risk of unauthorized operations on these wrecks but the law as it now appears inadequate for safeguarding shipwrecks. Meanwhile, the country was promoted as a ‘Sea, Sun and Sand’ destination and many of the tourists were SCUBA diving enthusiasts. Unofficial tourist guides found them keen to view wrecks and underwater tourism began. ‘Finders Keepers’ became the prevailing creed and a large number of wrecks were stripped, without the tourists, the touts, or even the Tourist Board and other State institutions being concerned about leaving the sites undisturbed. A government unaware of a problem cannot be expected to counter it. It is now impossible to assess the extent of damage done during this period.

The British Sergeant wreck (1942) Rasika Muthucumarana

April 3, 1964

Legal salvage or an archaeological find?

Peter Throckmorton, the archaeologist, wrote in 1964: ‘Like all sensible treasure hunters, Clarke and Wilson wanted to risk their future investment against a known possible profit. They had the blessings of the government, which only demanded that the project be conducted as an archaeological rather than a salvage operation. The question of who owned the finds was more vague but it seemed certain that Clarke and Wilson owned at least half, although there was a question as to whether the wreck was legal salvage or an archaeological find’. Then again he wrote, ‘Was the project worthwhile? Certainly not in a commercial sense, though Clarke-Wilson will probably break even eventually....the half-rupee pieces were worth a good deal of money before the wreck was found since they were very rare, but the first few dozen flooded the market and the value dropped’.

SS Rangoon shipwreck, Galle Rasika Muthucumarana

May 3, 1964

The ownership

Regarding the question of who owns the site, Godakumbura (1962-63) gave an undertaking that the question of ownership would be solved, viz, ‘Action is being taken to declare the area of the wreck an Archaeological Reserve’, and this was done in 1963-64 (Silva, 1993). How wrong Throckmorton proved to be in regard to the commercial viability was shown in the 1990s. This evaluation will be dealt with in its due place: what is of importance is that, this very first exercise in maritime archaeology here, raised all the issues that were to haunt maritime archaeologists and state departments, the world over, since that time.

March 3, 1970

A Dark Age

Discovery of the Silver Wreck, however, did not lead to any more work in maritime archaeology, remaining an isolated incident. There is always the risk of unauthorized operations on these wrecks but the law as it now appears inadequate for safeguarding shipwrecks. Meanwhile, the country was promoted as a ‘Sea, Sun and Sand’ destination and many of the tourists were SCUBA diving enthusiasts. Unofficial tourist guides found them keen to view wrecks and underwater tourism began. ‘Finders Keepers’ became the prevailing creed and a large number of wrecks were stripped, without the tourists, the touts, or even the Tourist Board and other State institutions being concerned about leaving the sites undisturbed. A government unaware of a problem cannot be expected to counter it. It is now impossible to assess the extent of damage done during this period. The collections gracing the many antique shops on the way to Galle, and the artefacts displayed in the Diving Stations in the tourist areas provide the only basis for evaluation. No records of what has been taken out of the country are available.

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March 3, 1970

Marine archaeological sites are defined as national aquatic resources

The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA - established in 1982) is essentially a scientific institution primarily concerned with the biological and mineral resources of the sea. However, the Act was flexible enough to include marine archaeological sites since it defined ‘national aquatic resources’ as ‘all living and non-living resources contained in or found beneath the medium of water and which are subject to the sovereignty, jurisdiction and control of Sri Lanka’ (1981). In these circumstances, the Director of Merchant Shipping, who, as Principal Receiver of wrecks, exercised the State’s claim to ‘all unclaimed wrecks in any part of Sri Lanka’ under the Merchant Shipping Act (1971) often consulted NARA whenever he received an application for a license to salvage a wreck that might have a historical significance.

January 1, 1982

Marine archaeological sites are defined as national aquatic resources

The National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA - established in 1982) is essentially a scientific institution primarily concerned with the biological and mineral resources of the sea. However, the Act was flexible enough to include marine archaeological sites since it defined ‘national aquatic resources’ as ‘all living and non-living resources contained in or found beneath the medium of water and which are subject to the sovereignty, jurisdiction and control of Sri Lanka’ (1981). In these circumstances, the Director of Merchant Shipping who, as Principal Receiver of wrecks, exercised the State’s claim to ‘all unclaimed wrecks in any part of Sri Lanka’ under the Merchant Shipping Act (1971) often consulted NARA whenever he received an application for a license to salvage a wreck that might have a historic significance.

The Story of Maritime Archaeology in Sri Lanka

The first exposure