A Danish Colonial Merchant's Residence in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas:  Material expressions of colonialism and the intersection of local and global trade at the Bankhus

Summary

Archaeology at a Danish colonial merchant's residence in Charlotte Amalie projects the complex yet distinct array of consumer goods available in a 19th century Danish Caribbean port town.  The walled compound housed a series of 19th and early 20th merchants/bankers and their household servants.  This study explores the intersection of micro and macro history as it assesses the material and documentary record of the site.  The house and its furnishings were selected for commemorative photo documentation prior colonial transfer to the United States in the early 20th century and as such it site provides a unique venue to assess and critique Danish colonialism.  The abundant material record derives from a pattern of storm related damage and the means to rebuild and replenish.  The study of this complex walled and terraced house compound illustrates a combination of broad based global trade, specific Danish trade patterns and interactions, and the incorporation of local goods and trade networks. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013   •
• Colonial Scandinavia and Scandinavian Colonialism: Archaeological aspects of a forgotten past

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Spatial Coverage

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 352