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credit: ancient times (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.113
The first survey of the site of Sao Tome reveals the African island’s involvement in the initiation of a plantation economic model that was later exported to the Americas.
In the 1530s, the Portuguese colony of Sao Tome was the world’s largest producer of sugar. Its sugar monoculture and reliance on enslaved African labor created a blueprint for expanding plantation economies across the Atlantic.
However, this economic success did not last long. Competition from Brazil and frequent rebellions by enslaved peoples reduced plantation profits by his early 17th century.
Despite the importance of Sao Tome to the origins of the modern Atlantic world, research has focused primarily on the Caribbean and the Americas.
The authors state that “Sao Tome was a major point of contact between Europe and Africa, but a lack of research obscures the significance of this island in the history of the Atlantic world and plantation slavery.” there is
To address this question, a team led by Dr. M. Dores Cruz (University of Cologne and CEAUP) is working on an archaeological survey of Praia Meran, São Tomé’s largest sugar mill and site dating back to the 16th century.their first results will be published in the magazine ancient times.
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credit: ancient times (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.113
The scale of the building reflects the large number of slave laborers who toiled in the main workshop where the factory operated and the sugar was boiled down. Of course, the craftsmanship of this structure is the product of enslaved builders. Particularly striking are the windows of the building, designed to give a clear view of the work area so that the slave laborers could be monitored.
Ceramic sugar molds are common on site, scattered on the ground or embedded in walls. X-ray fluorescence, a technique used to determine the elemental composition of materials, allowed us to determine its origin. In this case, three mold fragments were analyzed and found to have been made in the Aveiro Ovar region of Portugal, a major center of pottery production at the time.
Importantly, these findings show how the plantation economic model that was later applied in the Americas was born, and the long-distance connectivity needed to fuel its success. Therefore, this study could have a dramatic impact on our understanding of colonial history.
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credit: ancient times (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.113
It also emphasizes the need to carry out archaeological investigations at less-studied sites so that important heritage is not lost.
The authors conclude that “the tropical environment, vegetation encroachment, economic development, and potential human impact have increased the risk of destruction of the site, and conservation efforts and further archaeological investigations are fundamental to its preservation.” There are.”
For more information:
M. Dores Cruz et al., The Bitter Legacy: The Archeology of the Early Sugar Plantations and Slavery of Sao Tome, ancient times (2023). DOI: 10.15184/aqy.2023.113