Crossroads on the Coast: A Preliminary Examination of Bridgetown, Antigua
Author(s): Arik J. K. Bord
Year: 2018
Summary
In 1675, the colonial English government passed a law that established six "trade-towns" on Antigua. The law required that all imports, exports, and intra-island trade be conducted in these towns to be assessed for taxes. Of the original six towns, all but Bridgetown and Bermudian Valley are still extant. The Bridgetown site is located on Willoughby Bay on the south-eastern side of the island. Local legend states the town was abandoned after a devastating earthquake in 1843, the inhabitants establishing the nearby village of St. Philip. In 2016, preliminary surveys were conducted along the shore at the Bridgetown site to begin assessing the veracity of these legends. This presentation discusses the survey results, the possible reasons and dates for the town’s abandonment, and opportunities for further research into the significance of Bridgetown and other Antiguan trade towns within the complex system of world commerce during the early modern period.
Cite this Record
Crossroads on the Coast: A Preliminary Examination of Bridgetown, Antigua. Arik J. K. Bord. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, New Orleans, Louisiana. 2018 ( tDAR id: 441449)
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Keywords
General
Antigua
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Commerce
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trade towns
Geographic Keywords
North America
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United States of America
Temporal Keywords
Early Modern Period
Spatial Coverage
min long: -129.199; min lat: 24.495 ; max long: -66.973; max lat: 49.359 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 907