Unforgotten: The osteobiography of an enslaved woman and child from 18th century Saba

Assessing the preservation of biogenic strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) in the pars petrosa ossis temporalis of unburnt human skeletal remains: A case study from Saba

“…In a previous study this was tentatively suggested to indicate a possible prior migration event in adolescence, perhaps within Africa. 13 The strontium concentrations in the dentine sample increased between 9% in the M2 (27) to 112% in the M1 ( 26) compared to the enamel samples from the same dental element. Since the Sr concentrations in dentine and enamel are similar during life (see Supporting Information -Data S1), the increase in Sr concentrations is considered to reflect partial incorporation of diagenetic Sr. For the first and second molars, dentine samples possess higher Sr concentrations and lower 87 Sr/ 86 Sr that are intermediate between the corresponding enamel and the median of the local bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr.…”

“…The strontium isotope composition of the geological region she spent her childhood in differs significantly from that of Saba. The three enamel samples (M1, M2, M3) exhibit high strontium isotope ratios, ranging between 0.7105 and 0.7112 13 . These ratios are extremely elevated compared to the bioavailable 87 Sr/ 86 Sr for both the island of Saba ( ca 0.7065–0.7090, Figure 1 36 ) and the Antilles more broadly ( ca 0.7055–0.7093 37–39 ).…”

“…In this regard, the present study represents a reassessment of the reliability of strontium isotope ratios obtained from inhumed her childhood, at least until the age of ca 16-18 years old, in sub-Saharan Africa. 13 She was probably a first-generation enslaved African forcibly migrated to the Caribbean, likely as victim of the transatlantic slave trade. The strontium isotope composition of the geological region she spent her childhood in differs significantly from that of Saba.…”

“…During archaeological excavations in 2015 at the Fort Bay Ridge site on the island of Saba in the northeast Caribbean, performed by the project Nexus1492, Leiden University in collaboration with the Saba Archaeological Centre (SABARC), the remains of an adult female (individual 1) and a foetus (individual 2), dating to the late 18th century AD (cal 1730–1807, 52.3%: IntCal 20, Oxcal v4.4.4, laboratory ID GrA‐68585) were recovered. Strontium isotope analysis revealed that the female was of non‐local origin and may have spent her childhood, at least until the age of ca 16–18 years old, in sub‐Saharan Africa 13 . She was probably a first‐generation enslaved African forcibly migrated to the Caribbean, likely as victim of the transatlantic slave trade.…”

“…To investigate the effect of diagenesis on the biogenic 87 Sr/ 86 Sr of the otic capsule of unburnt pars petrosae, and its applicability for provenance studies, a unique case study was investigated. In this study the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr 13 and Sr concentrations of enamel and dentine samples from three molars and of one pars petrosa are presented from an inhumed female from a historic period site on the island of Saba, a special municipality of the Netherlands in the northeast Caribbean. Based on the archaeological, osteoarchaeological and isotopic evidence (elevated, non‐local 87 Sr/ 86 Sr), this individual was interpreted as an individual of African origin, who was enslaved and forced to migrate to Saba in the late 18th century 13 .…”