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Godavaya or Godawaya is a small fishing
hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a Shakespearean tragedy, tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play. Set in Denmark, the play (the ...
located at the mouth of the
Walawe river The Walawe (, ) is a long river in Sri Lanka which originates on Adam's Peak. It discharges into the Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water are ...
, between Ambalantota and Hambantota in the
Hambantota District Hambantota District ( ''hambantoṭa distrikkaya''; ''Ampāntōṭṭai māvaṭṭam'') is a Districts of Sri Lanka, district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. It is one of 25 districts of Sri Lanka, the second level administrative division of t ...
in southern
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...
. 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 approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
, at the foot of which it is situated. The original
harbour A harbor (American English), or harbour (Commonwealth English; see American and British English spelling differences#-our, -or, spelling differences), is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be Mooring, moored. The t ...
town was an entrepot on the Maritime Silk Road from at least the 2nd century CE. It has been the site of extensive excavations by German and Sri Lanka Archaeologists since 1994. Godavaya is also the site if a wildlife sanctuary. 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 has yet to be done) was discovered in an abandoned stone quarry at Godavaya, together with tools of animal-bone and stone. 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 only connected to land on one side. Peninsulas exist on each continent. The largest peninsula in the world is the Arabian Peninsula. Etymology The word ''peninsula'' derives , . T ...
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. Traders generally negotiate through a medium of cr ...
was an important component in the
economy An economy is an area of the Production (economics), production, Distribution (economics), distribution and trade, as well as Consumption (economics), consumption of Goods (economics), goods and Service (economics), services. In general, it is ...
of ancient Sri Lanka and Godavaya was an important maritime settlement, serving Tissamaharama and Ridiyagama in the kingdom of Ruhuna. The Godavaya port probably pre-dates a
Brahmi script Brahmi ( ; ; ISO 15919, ISO: ''Brāhmī'') is a writing system from ancient India. "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 ...
inscription of the 2nd-century king ''Gamani Abaya'', probably Gajabahu I, 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 Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
, 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. Garnet minerals, while sharing similar physical and crystallographic properties, exhibit a wide range of chemical compositions, de ...
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, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
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. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
carrying
silk Silk is a natural fiber, natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be weaving, woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is most commonly produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoon (silk), c ...
. 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
archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
s from the University of Bonn 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 (DAI). They unearthed evidence to prove Godavaya's importance in the maritime Silk Route, revealing connections from China in the east to the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
and to Europe in the west. Among the finds have been: * Sassanian ( Persian) * Roman
coins A coin is a small object, usually round and flat, 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 facilitate trade. They are most often issued by ...
and Han
pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...
* beads and bangles *
brick A brick is a type of construction material used to build walls, pavements and other elements in masonry construction. Properly, the term ''brick'' denotes a unit primarily composed of clay. But is now also used informally to denote building un ...
s showing guild marks in the shape of an 'O' *an ancient landing jetty 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 ', which itself comes from the Greek (). Anch ...
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 or import tax is a duty (tax), duty imposed by a national Government, government, customs territory, or supranational union on imports of goods and is paid by the importer. Exceptionally, an export tax may be levied on exports of goods ...
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 statue about 3.50 metres tall and two
Bodhisattva In Buddhism, a bodhisattva is a person who has attained, or is striving towards, '' bodhi'' ('awakening', 'enlightenment') or Buddhahood. Often, the term specifically refers to a person who forgoes or delays personal nirvana or ''bodhi'' in ...
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 living land animals. Three living species are currently recognised: the African bush elephant ('' Loxodonta africana''), the African forest elephant (''L. cyclotis''), and the Asian elephant ('' Elephas maximus ...
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 Sub-Saharan Africa and India. It has a muscular, broad-chested body (biology), body; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the ...
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 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 raw materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. The place where such wares are made by a ''potter'' is al ...
- dating from the 2nd century BC to the 4th century - together with a stone throne and coloured ball clay for making painted roofing tiles.


Godavaya wildlife sanctuary

Godavaya is home to five of the seven global marine
turtle Turtles are reptiles of the order (biology), order Testudines, characterized by a special turtle shell, shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Crypt ...
species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
: hawksbill, leatherback, green turtle, loggerhead and olive ridley turtle, which are all threatened. It has been proposed that the leatherback turtles of Sri Lanka and the Nicobar Islands 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 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, habitat refers to the array of resources, 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 manifestation of its ...
(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 group ...
s where they forage and rest), while the land limit envelopes their land Nesting habitat.


Tsunami

When the Boxing Day tsunami 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. {{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