<i>Experts collect artifacts to know the past of Kuakata boat</i>
Excavation of the ancient boat that surfaced on the Kuakata sea beach in July last year has entered its final phase.Photo: STAR
Experts excavating the ancient boat that surfaced on the Kuakata beach in July last year have found a good number of artifacts, including a 200-foot-long iron chain. The chain was dug out of three feet soil of the beach. However, the anchor, believed to be attached with the chain, could not be found. While entirely removing the sand from the hull of the 72 feet long and 23 feet wide wooden boat, archaeologists also found some pieces of garment and shards of iron and pottery. “These would greatly help us determine the history of the boat which is so visibly unusual,†said Afroza Khan Mita, an archaeologist working here to salvage the boat. A group of boat rescuers from Nagarbari have also joined the team of salvage workers. Yves Marre, a French-born Bangladeshi expert on traditional boat who heads the salvage team, said that the Nagarbari group would be crucial in lifting the 30-ton boat to the surface. “For generations these people have made traditional boats and so they have the traditional expertise to lift it intact,†Yves said. Since Saturday the rescuers have been working under extremely difficult conditions as the boat is only yards away from the sea. During high tides, it becomes very difficult to work as water starts invading the site. Yves said that every step of the salvage operation is a new challenge. “With whatever equipment available locally we are trying to salvage the boat,†he added. Once the boat is rescued it would be put at the maritime museum site earmarked in the Masterplan of Kuakata. The hull of the boat is entirely covered with strong copper plates, a practice unknown to the local experts. Experts also believe that it could well be an occidental boat arriving here for trade and collect fresh water of Kuakata. Some others also believe that the boat belonged to the first Rakhaine settlers in the area who fled Arakan war.
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