A Bioarchaeological Analysis of a Skeletal Population from Elmina, Ghana during the Period of the Transatlantic Trade: 1482–1873

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2021: General Sessions" session, at the 86th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

The Castelo de São Jorge da Mina, better known as Elmina, was established in 1482 in modern-day Ghana by the Portuguese as the first European trading post on the coast of West Africa. The fort was captured by the Dutch in 1637 and remained under Dutch control for the next 235 years. It was transferred to the British in 1872, but, when the local Elmina population refused to recognize the British authority, the town was leveled and never reoccupied. An estimated 100 individuals were recovered during the course of excavations, representing the largest skeletal assemblage ever recovered from West Africa. This interdisciplinary, biocultural research project focuses on the skeletal remains of approximately 100 individuals recovered from the site of Elmina in coastal Ghana. Data collected from the skeletal assemblage will be used to evaluate the demography, health, and morbidity of an indigenous African population that came into contact and established ties with Europeans. The proposed research will use standard bioarchaeological methods to estimate the age, sex, stature, and health of the individuals from Elmina. This presentation discusses the results of preliminary bioarchaeological analysis of the approximately 100 individuals represented in the collection.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 86th Annual Meeting, Online (2021)   •
• SAA 2021: General Sessions

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 32544