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Thursday, March 25, 2010 - 06.00 GMT |
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‘Jewel of
Muscat’ in Galle Port soon |
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The ‘Jewel of Muscat’, a 9th Century reconstructed Omani ship, is due to call at the Port of Galle next month (18 April), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
To coincide with the arrival of the ‘Muscat’, a series of events, including a joint cultural show is organized by Sri Lanka. An Omani delegation is also due to arrive here to participate in this historic event. The call by the ship at the Port of Galle will provide a unique opportunity to strengthen the friendship and deepen cultural and diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Oman.
The ‘Jewel of Muscat’ commenced its voyage from Oman on 15 February to re-enact the voyage that the seafaring nations of the time undertook to facilitate “international trade” in the bygone era. It will travel along the identical route as described by Arab geographers, using the same knowledge of the Arab seamen. The ship has reached a port in Cochin, in Kerala, India on 15 March and sail from Cochin to Galle, Sri Lanka. If the ship arrives as scheduled, it would depart from the Galle Port on 4 May and will sail across the Andaman Sea to Penang in Malaysia and then sail down the Malacca Straits to Singapore; which is its final destination.
The ship represents a major feat of maritime engineering where the hull has been sewn together with coconut fibre. The ship, which is built without nails to seal the hull, has each timber fitted perfectly. The wood is protected by a layer of goat fat mixed with lime, and the sails are square and made from palm leaves, re-creating the original technology. The ship is manned by an international crew, including sailors from Sri Lanka.
The ship's design is based on the archaeological findings of the Belitung Wreck, which was discovered in 1998 off the Indonesian coast. The ship was found to contain considerable treasure in the form of ceramic and gold artifacts, now known as the Tang Treasure, which are in Singapore.
This historical and cultural initiative is launched by the Governments of Oman and Singapore.
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