Archaeology of the African Diaspora in Latin America

The Political Economy of Exile in the Great Dismal Swamp

“…Another significant and chronic form of defiance, marronage, or the flight from slavery, manifested itself at several scales and occurred throughout the hemisphere (Price, 1996a(Price, , 1996bLa Rosa Corzo, 2003;Mullins, 1972;Schweninger, 2002;Weik, 1997Weik, , 2004. It has been argued that marronage took two general forms (Sayers, 2004).…”

The Archaeological Study of Spanish Colonialism in the Americas

“…Research on the Afro-American population of Buenos Aires is of particular interest since relatively little work has been conducted on the experiences of people of African descent in the Spanish colonies (Weik 2004). Exceptions include the investigation of the maroon settlement of Fort Mosé in Florida (Deagan and Landers 1999;Deagan and MacMahon 1995;Reitz 1994) and a few studies of colono and criollo wares in the Caribbean (Smith 1995;Solis Magaña 1999) and Colombia (Suaza Español 2006).…”

Early African America: Archaeological Studies of Significance and Diversity

“…In 1693 that asylum was made official when the Spanish crown offered limited freedom to any enslaved person escaping to Spanish Florida who would accept Catholicism. When the English established the border colony of Georgia in 1733, the Spanish Crown made it known once again that runaways would find freedom in Spanish Florida, in return for Catholic conversion and a term of four years in service to the crown (Deagan and MacMahon 1995;Mulroy 1993;Weik 2004Weik , 2007.…”

“…Ongoing research efforts are providing greater appreciation for the work of AfricanAmerican churches in assisting escapees, as well as for the ingenuity and selfreliance of individuals (LaRoche 2004). Researchers have examined such dynamics of self-determination, the operations of escape networks combating slavery, and the development of ''maroon'' communities of escaped laborers and their families in the United States and Canada (Delle 2008;LaRoche 2004;Weik 2004Weik , 2007). …”

“…Prominent examples of maroon communities in North America were established at ''Pilaklikaha'' in central Florida and the ''Gracia Real de Santa Teresa de Mose'' military compound (or ''Fort Mose'') and adjoining settlement north of St. Augustine (Landers 1990;Mulroy 1993;Weik 2004Weik , 2007. As Europeans sought to colonize the New World, southeastern North America became a contested area for Spain, England, and France.…”