Soft Drinks In The Time Of Cholera

February 23, 2009

Archaeologists conducting research on a wreck sunk off the coast of Sri Lanka have recovered several unopened bottles containing a 168 year-old carbonated lemon beverage.

Dubbed the “Bottle Ship,” the wreck - 23 metres long and six metres wide - was discovered two months ago at a depth of six metres off the village of Kirinda, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka.

According to Colombo' Sunday Times, the trade-marked bottles were manufactured by Clarke Romer & Co. Ceylon in 1840.

Advertisements appearing at that time indicate that the company’s product was in demand during a cholera epidemic.

Comments

[Lydia]

Still the unanswered question: "Why were the bottles manufactured in the shape of amphorae?"

This was not the first time these bottles were brought up. This wreck was not discovered in February but re-discovered.

In 1963, 46 years ago, Mike Wilson (Swami Siva Kalki) and Peter Throckmorton brought up bottles from the Great Basses.
This was documented in the book "The Treasure of the Great Reef" by Arthur C. Clarke and Mike Wilson.
Fig 57 is a photo of one.

In 1988, at a Maritime Heritage Trust (MHT) seminar Dr. Clarke and Mike Wilson were among the participants and requested that the Great Bases be made an archeological site to preserve the cultural history of Sri Lanka.

The find is news because it was believed few bottles were left since over the years tourist divers had carried them away as souvenirs.

Swami Kalki once said, "...God Kataragama in his infinite mercy and goodness has pledged to transform our beloved isle [Sri Lanka] into a land of milk and honey. But it is important that violence must be stopped. It is only then that we would be able to reap the full benefits and continue living with purpose."

Now that the war is over and Sri Lanka has peace, researches can now protect these great cultural heritage sites.