Exploration of Portuguese shipwreck in Goa waters of India: With special reference to Sunchi reef

Abstract

India had overseas trade contacts from the 4th-3rd Millennium BC. The history of Portuguese shipwrecks in Goa waters began with the arrival of Vasco da Gama at Kapukad (Kappat) a few kilometers north of Calicut (Kozhikode) in Kerala, India on 17 May 1498. Since then there had been frequent sailing of ships between India and Portugal and to the other Portuguese colonies. The ships sailed from Southeast Asian countries to Portugal enroute Goa, Mombasa and other Portuguese colonies around the Indian Ocean and they exchanged cargo at different ports. The Portuguese Empire had excellent knowledge in the field of construction of coastal forts, organization of navy, shipbuilding technology and they had their dockyard and shipbuilding centres at Old Goa. The Portuguese marine records, which are housed at Goa State Archives, Panaji and India House, Lisbon, state that between 1497 to 1612 a number of ships were wrecked off the Indian coast during their journey between Portugal and Goa. According to the recorded sources the majority of shipwrecks have occurred due to storms, hidden rocky reefs, woodborers, unskilled navigation, etc. The National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Goa, India has brought to light the remains of Portuguese shipwrecks of 17th century in Goa waters. The finding includes Martaban pottery, Chinese ceramic, elephant tusks, hippopotamus teeth, metal handle (?), guns, iron anchor, gun shot, bases of glass bottles, barret of handgun and a number of dressed granite blocks. The Sunchi Reef is the oldest wreck so far explored in Indian waters. The paper discusses the significance of findings, probable causes and period of the wreck. These findings are further compared with other Portuguese shipwreck findings found elsewhere in other parts of the world