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Early African diaspora in colonial Campeche, Mexico: Strontium isotopic evidence
Author(s) -
Price T. Douglas,
Tiesler Vera,
Burton James H.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
american journal of physical anthropology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.146
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1096-8644
pISSN - 0002-9483
DOI - 10.1002/ajpa.20390
Subject(s) - diaspora , colonialism , archaeology , geography , mesoamerica , ancient history , ethnology , history , gender studies , sociology
Construction activities around Campeche's central park led to the discovery of an early colonial church and an associated burial ground, in use from the mid‐16th century AD to the late 17th century. Remains of some individuals revealed dental mutilations characteristic of West Africa. Analyses of strontium isotopes of dental enamel from these individuals yielded unusually high 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios, inconsistent with an origin in Mesoamerica, but consistent with an origin in West Africa in terrain underlain by the West Africa Craton, perhaps near the port of Elmina, a principal source of slaves for the New World during the 16th century. These individuals likely represent some of the earliest representatives of the African Diaspora in the Americas. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.