Review
The 12 papers in this collection treat the archaeology of African slaves and their descendants in the Caribbean islands and are written by regional specialists heavily involved in fieldwork. Included are studies on excavations of plantations, workers' houses, freedmen's homes, and cemeteries. More specialized papers discuss ceramics, both those produced in Africa and those obtained from European sources; architectural styles; and, broadly speaking, material culture. An adequate selection of maps and photographs of archaeological sites and cultural remains spice this significant contribution to an expanding body of studies that has followed Jerome Handler's pioneering work of the early 1960s in Barbados. This constitutes perhaps the first published volume devoted to African sites in the Caribbean. Carihbean specialists and those more generally interested in the archaeology of the African presence will appreciate its contributions. Their students will appreciate the ! ! definitive bibliography. Venturesome readers interested in the region, folk culture, and archaeological research in general will also find much to hold their attention. --
Choice Magazine, April 2000, Vol. 37, No. 8
Product Description
This work examines archaeological research about African peoples who were brought to the Caribbean and their descendents in the 20th century. These contributions cover a wide geographic sample of regions, ranging from Caribbean studies to individual investigations on 12 different islands.