More than 12 million Africans were forcibly transported across the Atlantic during the transatlantic slave trade, and an estimated 1.8 million died during the crossing.
From 1840, St Helena became a major receiving depot for ships intercepted by the Royal Navy’s West Africa Squadron as Britain sought to suppress the illegal transatlantic slave trade. The island was also the venue for the trials of captains of the captured vessels
Nearly 27,000 Africans taken from intercepted slave ships were landed on St Helena; around 8,000 died soon afterwards and were buried on the island.
In a study1 published in Science, researchers used isotope data from sub-Saharan Africa, ancient DNA, and historical records to identify the origins of 152 of the liberated Africans buried on St. Helena producing evidence that helped inform debates about the possible repatriation of remains, and ultimately supported their reburial on St Helena.
The researchers analysed strontium isotope ratios preserved in tooth enamel to estimate likely childhood regions and identify evidence of movement of the Africans, showing evidence that some experienced multiple forced displacements within Africa before the transatlanti...