The forgotten slaves of Tromelin (Indian Ocean): new geoarchaeological data

Marriner, Nick; Guérout, Max; Romon, Thomas

doi:10.1016/j.jas.2009.12.032

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…This large pelagic species is very combative, which raises questions as to its method of capture, especially as it weighed at least 50 kg. The occurrence of this species in the vicinity of an oceanic island such as Tromelin, where depths of 1,000 m are attained at only 2.5 km from the island's coastline (Marriner et al, ), is easily conceivable. However, it is highly unlikely that an individual just washed up on shore, and it is more probable that it was harpooned in open water because it often swims near the surface, showing its sail.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…should also be noted that some large specimens occurred in more accessory families, such as parrotfishes, with Scarus ghobban at 7 to 8 kg, or porcupine fishes, with Diodon hystrix at 3 kg. (Marriner et al, 2010), is easily conceivable. However, it is highly unlikely that an individual just washed up on shore, and it is more probable that it was harpooned in open water because it often swims near the surface, showing its sail.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The stratigraphy of the site, except in the sector where disturbances were recorded, was relatively clear and marked out by layers resulting from climatic phenomena (Marriner et al, ). The lithified storm deposit C5 is a nonanthropized layer, which lies on the coral substrate.…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is composed of white sand, microdunes, and scattered coral blocks surrounded by beach sandstone slabs and storm slopes. The highest point of the island is in the north and culminates at 8.5-m altitude (Marriner, Guérout, & Romon, 2010). The island of Tromelin is surrounded by a reef flat FIGURE 1 Location of the main islands east of Madagascar within the south-western Indian Ocean nearly 400 m wide, with furrows corresponding to tidal channels exposed at low tide and ending in a coral reef and a sandy outer slope.…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All of the postshipwreck-related areas were investigated during the four archaeological campaigns, including those on the beach, constituting the crews and slaves' occupation zones during the first 2 months, and Site 5, called "High Point," in the north of the island The stratigraphy of the site, except in the sector where disturbances were recorded, was relatively clear and marked out by layers resulting from climatic phenomena (Marriner et al, 2010). The lithified storm deposit C5 is a nonanthropized layer, which lies on the coral substrate.…”

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Fishing for survival: The forgotten slaves of Tromelin Island (Indian Ocean)

Béarez

Bouffandeau

2019

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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Between 2006 and 2013, the island of Tromelin (Indian Ocean) was surveyed and excavated within the framework of the UNESCO project “Forgotten Slaves.” Archaeozoological studies evidenced the survival behaviours and subsistence strategies implemented by the l'Utile shipwreck victims abandoned on the island between 1761 and 1776. The ichthyoarchaeological analysis of 4,282 fish bones resulted in the identification of individuals belonging to 24 families of Teleostei and Chondrichthyes, among which Carangidae (jacks) largely dominate, followed by Serranidae (groupers), Acanthuridae (surgeonfishes), Balistidae (triggerfishes), Lutjanidae (snappers), and Pomacentridae (damselfishes). All of the cranial and postcranial elements were examined, and the taxonomic determination led to genus and species level attributions whenever possible. The composition of the assemblage, the ecology of the taxa, the nature of the nearby marine biotopes, and the fishing gear unearthed on the site provided helpful data to characterise the probable fishing techniques used by the survivors. Although line fishing along the drop‐off and offshore with a watercraft might have been practiced widely by the Malagasy slaves, spearing and/or harpooning on the sandbank and coral reef, as well as hand gathering in the tidal pools off the reef flat surrounding the island, could also have greatly contributed to the overall catch. The results of this study reveal that this broad‐spectrum exploitation of marine resources was opportunist, though it required skill and knowledge. They also shed light on the adaptation of the castaways to survive extreme conditions.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Fishing for survival: The forgotten slaves of Tromelin Island (Indian Ocean)

Béarez

Bouffandeau

2019

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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The Use of Avian Resources by the Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin Island (Indian Ocean)

Laroulandie

Lefèvre

2013

Intl J of Osteoarchaeology

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On 31 July 1761, the Utile, a French slave ship from the Compagnie française des Indes, illegally loaded with Malagasy slaves, was shipwrecked on the desert islet of Tromelin. Two months after the disaster, the French crew left the island on a boat constructed from the wreckage and abandoned the slaves. Fifteen years later, Chevalier de Tromelin rescued eight survivors. An archaeological excavation recently conducted by M. Guérout and T. Romon revealed how the forgotten slaves adapted themselves to this hostile environment. The Malagasy survived using natural resources of the islet and material from the Utile. This paper, based on the archaeozoological analysis of almost 18 000 bird bones, focuses on their use of avian resources. The Malagasy survivors captured numerous individuals from a breeding colony of sooty tern Onychoprion fuscatus, as indicated by the presence of medullary bone and immature birds. Cut marks and localised burning at the bone extremities testify to the cooking method used. Under-representation of the bones from the distal extremity of the wing, together with the rare written archives collected after the rescue, give evidence of the utilisation of feathers as raw material. An estimate of the total number of terns and eggs that were collected, compared with historical and modern ornithological observations, allows us to discuss the consequences of human predation on the disappearance of the sooty tern colony from Tromelin Island.

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Indian Ocean: Maritime Archaeology

Hunter

2020

Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology

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The forgotten slaves of Tromelin (Indian Ocean): new geoarchaeological data

Cited by 13 publications

References 24 publications

Fishing for survival: The forgotten slaves of Tromelin Island (Indian Ocean)

Fishing for survival: The forgotten slaves of Tromelin Island (Indian Ocean)

The Use of Avian Resources by the Forgotten Slaves of Tromelin Island (Indian Ocean)

Indian Ocean: Maritime Archaeology

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