History Undug

Ancient Sri Lanka was not just an island kingdom — It was one of the greatest maritime trading powers of the ancient world. 

For over 2,000 years, Sri Lankan ships sailed across the Indian Ocean, connecting Rome, Arabia, India, Southeast Asia, and China. Ancient Chinese records describe Sinhalese manned Sri Lankan vessels as the largest ships to ever enter Chinese ports, towering above all others. Monks, traders, and imperial envoys wrote in awe of their size, engineering, and navigational skill. 

This documentary explores Sri Lanka’s lost maritime empire — from its legendary ports like Mantai, Galle, and Trincomalee, to its mastery of monsoon winds, star navigation, and oceanic trade routes. We uncover how Sri Lanka became the central hub of the ancient Indian Ocean world, exporting spices, gemstones, elephants, and luxury goods across continents. Furthermore, Sri Lanka was respected as the seat of Theravada Buddhism. It still continues to have the longest unbroken record of Buddhist History (2300 years), more than any other country in the world. Drawing from archaeology, Chinese chronicles, Roman texts, and ancient travel accounts, this film reveals the forgotten naval dominance of one of history’s greatest maritime civilizations.