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This article explores the historical significance of Fort Amsterdam, also known as Fort Kormantine, as the first English slave fort in Africa. Situated on Ghana's coast, this fort played a crucial role in the transatlantic slave trade during the 17th and 18th centuries. Through an examination of historical records, archeological evidence, this article sheds light on the establishment, usage, and eventual uncovering of this monumental structure. This uncovering incident started on June and ended on the July due to their research.

Archeological evidence, including pottery fragments, coins, and other artifacts, has confirmed the fort's transformation into an English slave fort. These findings strengthen the historical accounts and oral traditions that assert Fort Amsterdam's critical role in the transatlantic slave trade.


Prof Chistopher DeCorse(C) is leading the team
of archaeologists in Ghana

 Archaeologist Christopher DeCorse has exam rare artifacts found in Ghana's ruins of Fort Amsterdam, which are believed to be the remains of an older fort called Kormantine. These fragments, unearthed from compacted soil, offer clues to a lost past and suggest the existence of the first English outpost in Africa. The professor's team is excavating these remains with rapid activity. Archaeologists are working on a site called Fort Kormantine, dating back to the 17th century. The site was located on the Atlantic coast, just as Europeans transitioned from gold to human trade, affecting Africa. The discovery may shed light on the lives of early traders, their activities, and the impact on the community. The discovery may shed light on the history of European exploitation and human cruelty in Ghana's coastal fishing towns, which are still haunted by the slave forts along the Gold Coast.

 


The site of the dig,under the blue canopy,is 
insidefort Amsterdam built by the Dutch


Fort Kormantine, built by the English in 1631, was a crucial location for the slave trade in Africa. It served as a trading post for gold and ivory, and was a holding point for those kidnapped in West Africa before being shipped to the Caribbean for sugar production. The Dutch seized the fort in 1663, but exact location remains unknown due to its status as a World Heritage Site. However, 2019 digs near Fort Amsterdam, revealing early 17th-century artifacts, suggest its possible location.


Nigerian Omokolade Omigubule 

  Archaeologists have discovered a significant structure under a new fort in Nigeria, revealing remnants of an actual building. The excavations revealed a six-meter-long(40ft) wall, door post, foundations, and a drainage system made of red brick, indicating an English presence pre-dating the Dutch fort. Artifacts, such as gunflint and pipes with small bowls, were also found, indicating the English occupants may have domesticated local animals as an alternative source of protein. The excavations will continue for three years, aiming to unravel the architecture, look, and feel of Fort Kormantine, ultimately revealing its true significance.



In nutshell, the uncovering of Fort Amsterdam, also known as Fort Kormantine, has shed light on its historical significance as the first English slave fort in Africa. The fort's transformation from Dutch trading post to English slave fort underscores the complexities of European colonization and the brutal legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. The archeological evidence by (Christopher R. DeCorse), combined with historical records and scholarly research, provide a comprehensive understanding of Fort Amsterdam's establishment, usage, and uncovering on Ghana's coast.


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Credit:BBC

Source:markneswin.blogspot.com