Ancestry, health, and lived experiences of enslaved Africans in 18th century Charleston: An osteobiographical analysis

Abstract

Objectives In 2013, the burials of 36 individuals of putative African ancestry were discovered during renovation of the Gaillard Center in downtown Charleston, South Carolina. The Charleston community facilitated a bioarchaeological and mitogenomic study to gain insights into the lives of these unknown persons, referred to as the Anson Street Ancestors, including their ancestry, health, and lived experiences in the 18th century. Methods Metric and morphological assessments of skeletal and dental characteristics were recorded, and enamel and cortical bone strontium stable isotope values generated. Whole mitochondrial genomes were sequenced and analyzed. Results Osteological analysis identified adults, both females and males, and subadults at the site, and estimated African ancestry for most individuals. Skeletal trauma and pathology were infrequent, but many individuals exhibited dental decay and abscesses. Strontium isotope data suggested these individuals mostly originated in Charleston or sub‐Saharan Africa, with many being long‐term residents of Charleston. Nearly all had mitochondrial lineages belonging to African haplogroups (L0‐L3, H1cb1a), with two individuals sharing the same L3e2a haplotype, while one had a Native American A2 mtDNA. Discussion This study generated detailed osteobiographies of the Anson Street Ancestors, who were likely of enslaved status. Our results indicate that the Ancestors have diverse maternal African ancestries and are largely unrelated, with most being born locally. These details reveal the demographic impact of the trans‐Atlantic slave trade. Our analysis further illuminates the lived experiences of individuals buried at Anson Street, and expands our understanding of 18th century African history in Charleston.

Ancestry: How researchers use it and what they mean by it

“…This includes understanding how ancestry and genetic ancestry relate to categorical frameworks used in the present such as race [e.g., ( Liebler 2016 ; Paredes 2017 )], and understanding what factors influence these social identities ( Hunley et al, 2017 ). It also involves trying to gain insight into the life histories and lived experiences of those who lived in the past, particularly enslaved individuals [e.g., ( Wasterlain, Costa, and Ferreira 2018 ; Fleskes et al, 2021 )].…”

Twenty‐first century bioarchaeology: Taking stock and moving forward

“…AvondaleBurialPlace.org and Fleskes et al, 2021). Evidence of structural violence against African Americans, both before and after death is well illustrated in the research of de la Cova (2010de la Cova ( , 2011de la Cova ( , 2019de la Cova ( , 2020ade la Cova ( , 2020b and Nystrom (2011Nystrom ( , 2014Nystrom ( , 2017a (see Section 7.2).…”

“…The New York City African Burial Ground is a compelling illustration of the significant value of consultations with African American descendant communities and multidisciplinary approaches to the excavation of cemeteries that include enslaved people and their descendants (Blakey, 2010; Blakey & Rankin‐Hill, 2009; https://www.nps.gov/articles/ afamburial.htm) (see also http://www.avondaleburialplace.org and Fleskes et al, 2021). Evidence of structural violence against African Americans, both before and after death is well illustrated in the research of de la Cova (2010, 2011, 2019, 2020a, 2020b) and Nystrom (2011, 2014, 2017a,) (see Section 7.2).…”

The genetic legacy of African Americans from Catoctin Furnace

“…Advances in ancient DNA (aDNA) technology have made it possible to use genetic data as a tool for restoring knowledge of enslaved and historically marginalized peoples whose stories were often omitted from or disregarded in written records. Studies of the New York African Burial Ground (14,15), the Anson Street ancestors (16,17), and others (18,19) used a combination of anthropological and biomolecular tools to provide insight into the identity and life history of enslaved individuals through the study of their remains. However, the ability of those studies to localize the African origins of these individuals was limited by the exclusive use of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) (20) and/or reliance on comparisons with data from publicly available reference datasets (21,22).…”