Sri Lanka Maritime Archaeological Unit Report on the Avondster Project 2001 - 2002 Edited by Robert Parthesius Karen Millar Somasiri Devendra Jeremy Green With contributions by: Abesin Mallawa Arachachchige Dayananda, Karina Acton, Claire Barnes, Jon Carpenter, Barbara Consolini, Wendy van Duivenvoorde, Ian Godfrey Wijamunige Chandaratne, Ian Godfrey, Nawaratna B. Karawgahanga Roelof Munneke, Rasika Muthucumarana, Michael Nash, Darshani Samanthilaka Annette Schreur, Chandana Weerasena, K.D. Palitha Weerasinghe First published 2003 By the Amsterdams Historisch Museum PO box 3302 1001 AC Amsterdam The Netherlands Edited by Robert Parthesius, Karen Millar Somasiri Devendra and Jeremy Green This book is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, critism or review. as permitted under the Copy- right Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. Enquiries should be made to the publisher. © Amsterdams Historisch Museum, The Netherlands 2003 © The Mutual Heritage Centre, Sri Lanka 2003. Bibliography ISBN 90-71361-08-X 1.Underwater archaeology - Sri Lanka. 2.Maritime History - Sri Lanka. 3. Maritime History - The Netherlands. I. Parthesius, R. II. Millar, K. III. Devendra, S. IV. Green, J.N. MESSAGE OF THE HON. MINISTER OF HUMAN RESCOURCE DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND CULTURAL AFFAIRS DR. KURUNASENA KODITUWAKKU The joint work of the Maritime Archaeology Unit of the Dept. Archaeology, and the Central Cultural Fund comes directly under the purview of my ministry. I am indeed happy to add this message to the First Underwater Archaeological Excavation and Research Report of the ʻAvondsterʼ Excavation and Conservation Project of the Maritime Archaeology Unit which is being implemented by the Mutual Heritage Center of the Central Cultural Fund in collaboration with the Dept. of Archaeology, the Amsterdam Historical Museum in the Netherlands and the Western Australian Maritime Museum. As the minister in charge of the subject of Human Resource Development, Education and Cultural Affairs in particular, I appreciate the work carried out by the ʻAvondsterʼ Excavation Project in Galle, as it is involved in human resource development through its training programmes conducted for the young Sri Lankan underwater archaeologists, maritime artifact conservators and related scientific research and also in conducting programmes of dissemination of knowledge among the general public including school children. Sri Lanka, a nation that possesses a rich natural and cultural maritime heritage with great potentials in research needs trained resources to meet her future needs. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere gratitude to the government of the Royal Netherlands, its Embassy in Colombo, and the Amsterdam Historical Museum in the Netherlands for their instant co-operation and assistance in the preservation of Cultural Heritage of Sri Lanka. I also wish to acknowledge with gratitude,the important work being carried out by the Directorate and all other team members of the ʻAvondsterʼExcavation, conservation and research project for the work they have accomplished in the First Year of the programme and congratulate them on the publication of their First Progress Report. Karunasena Kodituwakku Minister of Human Rescource Development, Education and Cultural Affairs. Ministry of Human Resources, Education and Cultural Affairs, ʻSethsiriayaʼ, Battaramulla, Srilanka. 15th of October 2003 CONTENTS Preface 1 1 Introduction 3 1.1 History of Maritime Archaeology in Galle Bay..........................................................................4 1.2 The Avondster-project 2001-2005...............................................................................................6 2 Historical-Archaeological Research 9 2.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................................10 2.2 Research in progress: 2001/2002..............................................................................................11 3 Understanding the wreck site 19 3.1 First speculative interpretation of the wreck forming process........................................................19 3.2 Observations of the shipʼs remains till 2001.............................................................................20 4 Understanding the wreck through historical information 24 4.1 A Dutch East Indiaman circa 1660........................................................................................... 24 4.2 A tentative reconstruction of the rigging of the Avondster ......................................................26 5 Site excavation: strategy and procedures 27 5.1 Introduction............................................................................................................................................... 27 5.2 Goals of the excavation........................................................................................................................... 27 5.3 First excavation period: November 2001-January 2002 ............................................................... 28 5.4 Second excavation period: March 2002.............................................................................................. 35 6 Finds 41 6.1 A cross-section of finds to 2002............................................................................................................. 41 7 Conservation 45 7.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................................ 45 7.2 Aims for conservation ............................................................................................................................. 45 7.3 The condition of the Avondster site ..................................................................................................... 46 7.4 Artefact treatment: 2001- 2002............................................................................................................ 46 7.5 Conservation procedures........................................................................................................................ 47 7.6 Recommendations..................................................................................................................................... 49 8 Establishing infrastructure for the M.A.U. 51 8.1 Achievements up to 2000.........................................................................................................................51 8.2 The Situation in November 2001............................................................................................................51 8.4 Progress on capacity building and infra-structure 2001-2002...................................................... 52 9 Public Awareness, the Galle Maritime Museum and museological training 61 9.1 Introduction................................................................................................................................................ 61 9.2 The Galle Maritime Museum................................................................................................................. 61 9.3 Display programme.................................................................................................................................. 62 9.4 Time schedule............................................................................................................................................ 64 9.5 In-service training..................................................................................................................................... 64 9.6 Progress 2001-2002................................................................................................................................. 64 10 Appendices 65 11 References 89 -1- AKNOWLEDGEMENT The Avondster Project would like to thank: Board of Governors of the Central Cultural Fund for granting approval to the Mutual Heritage Centre of the CCF to carryout the project. The Netherlands Cultural Fund Ministry of Human Resources, Education and Cultural Affairs, Sri Lanka Department of Archaeology, Sri Lanka Department of National Museums, Sri Lanka. Department National Archives, Sri Lanka Post Graduate Institute of Archaeological Research ICOMOS – Sri Lanka Branch. Sri Lanka Tourist Board Galle Heritage Foundation. Government Agent of Galle His Worship the Mayor of Galle Sri Lanka Ports Authority – Galle Harbour. Sri Lanka Navy – Southern Command The Royal Netherlands Embassy– Colombo The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Netherlands – The Ministry of Education Culture and Science, The Netherlands Department of Culture and the Arts, Government of Western Australia The Netherlands National Archives Amsterdam Historical Museum University of Amsterdam Western Australian Maritime Museum Preface -1- PREFACE The Report, which this prefaces, covers the work done during the first year (2001-2002) of the “Avondster” project which is expected to continue up to 2005. This project is the latest form in which the maritime archaeology studies in Galle Bay are being manifest. Before the commencement of this project, the Archaeological Department of Sri Lanka, in concert with the Western Australian Maritime Museum, the Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology, the Central Cultural fund and other government Departments had conducted preliminary work since 1993. The assistance afforded in these activities by non-government