The Silver Coin wreck at the Great Basses Reef

This is one of the shipwrecks found by Sir Arthur C. Clarke and his friends in the 1960s. It sank in 1702 by hitting the Great Basses Reef (also known as Maha Ravan Kotuwa). She was carrying a cargo of sacks of silver coins minted in India and is believed to be a type of ship called Surat Junk. Its name is unknown.

The wreck was first recorded by Sir Arthur C. Clark and after that by Peter Throkmorton in 1960s. In 1993 and again in 2008, the Maritime Archeology Unit (MAU) of Sri Lanka performed surveys and research work. At the moment around 18 cannons and few anchors are visible at the site. The site can be located in a narrow gap between two reefs south of the Lighthouse. Due to the rough waves and the environment no organic remains are found on the site. Many concreted lumps of coin were found in this area.

MAU, Sri Lanka

Silver Mughal coins from the wreck.

MAU, Sri Lanka

Anchor at the site in the 1960's.

MAU, Sri Lanka

The 2008 survey by the MAU.

MAU, Sri Lanka

Coins conserved at the MAU in Galle.

MAU, Sri Lanka

Site map made in 1962.

• S. Devendra, R. Mutchucumarana (2013).
  Maritime Archaeology and Sri Lanka: Globalization, Immigration, and Transformation in the Underwater Archaeological Record.
  Historical Archaeology, vol. 17 (1).
  pp 15-65.
• Arthur C, Clarke Trust.
  Discovering buried treasure!.
• Maritime Archaeology Unit.
  Maritime Archaeology Unit.