The Mauritian Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Project: exploring the impact of colonialism and colonisation in the Indian Ocean

The main aim of this project is to understand how European colonial activity influenced environmental and cultural transformations in this region of the Indian Ocean (Seetah 2010) by targeting specific locations (Figure 2), incorporating slave, indentured and imperial sites, as well as sites with high eco-archaeological potential. Establishing base-line soil conditions formed the focus of the first season and centred on a site in the north of the island at Mon Choisy (overall size 800m!). It forms part of a former plantation and offers a valuable opportunity to record the transition from virgin soil to agriculture. Core data showed clear indications of enrichment, with 14C dating providing a timeframe for the agricultural intensification of sugar agriculture that coincided with the arrival of the British. Subsequent research has centred on broadening the geographical and thematic scope of the project to delve deeper into the human and ecological implications of satisfying Europe's appetite for sugar

Locating the festival, positioning the feast: natural and calendar festivals in medieval Slovenia

The astronomical cycles and occurrences of the Sun, Moon, planets and certain star constellations were well known to prehistoric, Roman and medieval communities. Archaeoastronomy studies how ancient societies incorporated this knowledge into various aspects of past cultures. The discipline draws on modern astronomy, geodesy, physics, statistics, anthropology, ethnology and archaeology to study and interpret a wide range of source materials, from structural alignments to art, artefacts and inscriptions. This paper presents archaeoastronomical research on the orientation of Romanesque churches across the territory of modern-day Slovenia, focusing on an array of medieval festivals associated with the solstices and equinoxes. It demonstrates a profound connection between these festivals and the alignment of churches

Multiple ethnic origins of mitochondrial DNA lineages for the population of Mauritius

This article reports on the first genetic assessment of the contemporary Mauritian population. Small island nodes such as Mauritius played a critical role in historic globalization processes and revealing high-resolution details of labour sourcing is crucial in order to better understand early-modern diaspora events. Mauritius is a particularly interesting case given detailed historic accounts attesting to European (Dutch, French and British), African and Asian points of origin. Ninety-seven samples were analysed for mitochondrial DNA to begin unravelling the complex dynamics of the island’s modern population. In corroboration with general demographic information, the majority of maternal lineages were derived from South Asia (58.76%), with Malagasy (16.60%), East/Southeast Asian (11.34%) and Sub-Saharan African (10.21%) also making significant contributions. This study pinpoints specific regional origins for the South Asian genetic contribution, showing a greater influence on the contemporary population from northern and southeast India. Moreover, the analysis of lineages related to the slave trade demonstrated that Madagascar and East Asia were the main centres of origin, with less influence from West Africa

The Materiality of Multiculturalism. An Archaeological Perspective

Speaking of Mauritius as an economic miracle has become a cliché, and with good reason: Its development since Independence in 1968 can easily be narrated as a rags-to-riches story. In addition, it is a stable democracy capable of containing the conflict potential inherent in its complex ethnic and religious demography. This book brings together some of the finest scholarship, domestic as well as foreign, on contemporary Mauritius, offering perspectives from constitutional law, cultural studies, sociology, archaeology, economics, social anthropology and more. While celebrating the indisputable, and impressive, achievements of the Mauritian nation on its fiftieth birthday, this book is far from toothless. Looking back inevitably implies looking ahead, and in order to do so, critical self-scrutiny is essential, to be able to learn from the mistakes of the past. The contributors raise fundamental questions concerning a broad range of issues, from the dilemmas of multiculturalism to the marginal role of women in public life, from the question of constitutional reform and the continued problem of corruption to the slow destruction of Mauritius' joy and pride, namely the beauty and purity of its natural scenery. Taking stock of the first fifty years, this book also looks ahead to the next fifty years, giving some cues as to where Mauritius can and should aim in the next decades

Colonialism, Slavery and ‘The Great Experiment’: Carbon, Nitrogen and 1 Oxygen Isotope Analysis of Le Morne and Bois Marchand Cemeteries, Mauritius

Archaeological aspects of slavery, colonialism and emancipation have been well-studied in the Atlantic region, but comparatively little research has been undertaken in the Indian Ocean area. In particular, the lifeways of colonial populations, especially bondmen and women, freed slaves and indentured labourers remains under-studied. Mauritius formed an important node in the movement of people in the Indian Ocean and beyond, and was the home of the ‘Great Experiment’, when the British replaced slavery with ‘free’, indentured, labour. This study uses carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotope analysis to investigate the diet and life histories of two cemetery populations from Mauritius: Le Morne, thought to be a post-emancipation cemetery; and Bois Marchand, a formal public cemetery dating from 1867

Colonialism, Slavery and ‘The Great Experiment’: Carbon, Nitrogen and 1 Oxygen Isotope Analysis of Le Morne and Bois Marchand Cemeteries, Mauritius

Archaeological aspects of slavery, colonialism and emancipation have been well-studied in the Atlantic region, but comparatively little research has been undertaken in the Indian Ocean area. In particular, the lifeways of colonial populations, especially bondmen and women, freed slaves and indentured labourers remains under-studied. Mauritius formed an important node in the movement of people in the Indian Ocean and beyond, and was the home of the ‘Great Experiment’, when the British replaced slavery with ‘free’, indentured, labour. This study uses carbon, nitrogen and oxygen isotope analysis to investigate the diet and life histories of two cemetery populations from Mauritius: Le Morne, thought to be a post-emancipation cemetery; and Bois Marchand, a formal public cemetery dating from 1867

Colonial iron in context: the Trianon slave shackle from Mauritius

In 2009, part of a ‘slave shackle’ was recovered from archaeological investigations at Trianon, an indentured labourer site on Mauritius dated from the beginning of the nineteenth century. This paper presents the results of a metallurgical assessment of the artefact, thought to represent colonial ironwork, a category that has hitherto remained understudied. The results are incorporated into the wider archaeological and historical evidence from Trianon, highlighting the value of studying colonial ironwork in context