Illegally enslaved and then marooned on

remote Tromelin Island for fi fteen years, with

only archaeology to tell their story

by S S. P

Tromelin Island, 300 miles east of Madgascar in

the Indian Ocean, is home to a meteorological

station, an airstrip, and little else. In 1761, a

French merchant ship with a hold full of Malagasy

slaves wrecked there.

CASTAWAYS

ARCHAEOLOGY September/October 201448

had captained an underwater research vessel in the late 1970s, and upon his retirement in the early 1980s founded the Naval Archaeology Research Group NQRZQE\LWV)UHQFKDFURQ\P*5$1ZKLFKKDVVLQFHVWXGLHGGR]HQVRISRVWPHGLHYDO VKLSZUHFNV +H KHDUG WKHTromelin story from a colleague and, ZLWK VXSSRUW IURP 81(6&2 EHJDQtwo years of archival research in 2004The history was so interesting that ZH GHFLGHG WR PDNH DQ DUFKDHRORJLFDOVXUYH\ KH VD\V*XpURXWEXLOW D WHDPwhich included experts from GRAN, WKH)UHQFK1DWLRQDO,QVWLWXWHRI3UHYHQWLYH$UFKDHRORJLFDO5HVHDUFK,15$3DQG WKH DGPLQLVWUDWLRQ RI WKH )UHQFKSouthern and Antarctic Lands, to travel WRWKH LVRODWHG LVOHW IRXUWLPHV2006, 2008, 2010, and 2013IRU VL[ ZHHNVDWDVWUHWFKWRH[DPLQHWKHZUHFNVLWH

H[FDYDWHDQGOHDUQVRPHWKLQJDERXWWKHOLYHVRIWKH0DODJDV\FDVWDZD\VOLYHVXQGRFXPHQWHGE\KLVWRU\

AFTER FOUR DAYS AT SEA, La Providence DUULYHGLQ0DGDJDVFDUDQGWKHFUHZZHUHWUDQVIHUUHGEDFNWR5pXQLRQ,VODQG DQG0DXULWLXV 'H /DIDUJXH GLHG LQ WUDQVLW

OHDYLQJGX9HUQHWWRIDFH$QWRLQH0DULH'HVIRUJHV%RXFKHUWKHJRYHUQRURI0DXULWLXVZKRZDVIXULRXVZLWKWKHYLRODWLRQRIKLVSURKLELWLRQRQEULQJLQJVODYHVWRKLVLVODQG'X9HUQHWUHSHDWHGO\UHTXHVWHGWRKDYHDVKLSVHQWEDFNWRWKHLVOHWRQO\WREHGHQLHGDJDLQDQGDJDLQ1HZVRIWKHDEDQGRQPHQWHYHQUHDFKHG3DULVDQGFDXVHGDEULHIVWLUEXWZDVIRUJRWWHQLQWKHZDNHRIWKH6HYHQ

www.archaeology.org 49

WZR IDLOHG UHVFXH DWWHPSWV KLPVHOIhad left the islet on a raft with a sail of ZRYHQIHDWKHUV7KH\ZHUHQHYHUKHDUGIURPDJDLQ7KHWHVWLPRQ\RIWKHVHYHQremaining women and the records of La

IQRWZDVKHGDZD\E\FHQWXULHVRIZDYHVDQG VWRUPV$ IHZ KXQGUHG IHHW RVKRUH WKH GLYHUV IRXQGPDUNV LQ WKHURFN\UHHIZKHUHWKHVKLSVWUXFNDQGFDPHWRUHVWFRQUPLQJWKHDFFRXQWRIWKHpFULYDLQ

Powerful waves around Tromelin Island washed away all but the heaviest material, such as this anchor, from the wreck of LUtile.

The same waves complicated several attempts to rescue survivors on the island years later.

ARCHAEOLOGY September/October 201450

WHDPKDGEHHQKRSLQJIRUWKUHHLQWDFWEXLOGLQJV:HIRXQGZKDWZDVSUREDEO\WKHNLWFKHQZLWKDOOWKLQJVZHOONHSWLQHDFKSDUWRIWKHEXLOGLQJ*XpURXWVD\V,QWKLVRYDOVKDSHGEXLOGLQJZLWKYHIRRWWKLFNZDOOV WKHUHZDV D VWDFNRI VL[more copper vessels, topped with a conch shell, and a deposit of 15FOHYHUO\PDGHVSRRQV7KHVHZHUHFXWIURPFRSSHUZLWKVPDOOZLQJVDWWKHEDVHWKDWFRXOGEHIROGHGRYHUDWZLJWRPDNHDKDQGOH,QWRWDO45GRPHVWLFREMHFWVZHUHIRXQGWKHUHDQGLQDQRWKHUEXLOGLQJZHUHWRROVLURQWULSRGVWRKROGFRRNLQJYHVVHOVDQGELJOHDGERZOVSUREDEO\PDGHIURPOHDGVKHHWVNHSWRQLUtileWRSDWFKKROHVDWVHD7KHODUJHOHDGERZOVZHUHOLNHO\XVHGWRKROGZDWHUPHDQLQJWKDW OHDGSRLVRQLQJPD\KDYH EHHQ D SUREOHP IRU WKH VXUYLYRUV7KH DUFKDHRORJLVWVDOVRIRXQGSLHFHVRILQWDQGWKHPHWDODJDLQVWZKLFKWKH\ZHUHVWUXFNZKLFKDGGUHVVHVKRZWKHFDVWDZD\VVWDUWHGDQGPDLQWDLQHGUHV7KRVHREMHFWVPDNHWKHRQO\KLVWRU\ZHFDQKDYHVD\-HDQ)UDQoRLV5HEH\URWWHD5pXQLRQ,VODQGEDVHGDUFKDHRORJLVWZKRKHOSHGWKHWHDPRUJDQL]HLWVHOGVHDVRQV

A detailed analysis of some 18,000ELUGERQHVFROOHFWHGfrom the site during the 2013VHDVRQKDVUHYHDOHGPXFKDERXWWKHFDVWDZD\VGLHW0RVWRIWKHERQHVFRPHIURPVRRW\WHUQV7KHVHVHDELUGVRQFHQHVWHGRQWKHLVODQGLQJUHDWQXPEHUVEXWQRWDQ\PRUHKXQWLQJE\WKHVXUYLYRUVPD\KDYHFRQWULEXWHGWRWKHFRORQ\VFROODSVH7KHFDVWDZD\VDOVRDWHELUGHJJVDQGVRPHVKWKRXJKVKLQJIURPWKHLVODQGLVGLFXOWDVZHOODVWXUWOHPHDWHYHQWKRXJKNLOOLQJDQGHDWLQJWXUWOHVLVWDERRWRVRPH0DODJDV\FRPPXQLWLHVDFFRUGLQJWR%DNR5DVRDULIHWUDD0DODJDV\KLVWRULDQIURPWKH8QLYHUVLW\RI$QWDQDQDULYRZKRMRLQHGWKH2010 and 2013H[SHGLWLRQV

$IHZVPDOOSLHFHVRIFRSSHUMHZHOU\DULQJDFRXSOHRIEUDFHOHWVDQGDQHLJKWHHQWKFHQWXU\3RUWXJXHVHFRLQWKDWPD\KDYHEHHQZRUQDVDSHQGDQWZHUHDOVRIRXQGDORQJZLWKDSRLQWHGpPrORLURUWLSFRPEIRUXQWDQJOLQJKDLU6ODYHVXVXDOO\KDGWKHLUKDLUFXWVKRUWEXWWKHFDVWDZD\VZRXOGKDYHEHHQDEOHWRJURZWKHLUKDLURXWDJDLQ7UDGLWLRQDOO\5DVRDULIHWUDDGGVDPDQZRXOGPDNHDSRLQWHGpPrORLUIRUWKHZRPDQKHORYHG7KHVHVPDOOSHUVRQDOQGVVXJJHVWWKDWDWVRPHSRLQWin their stay, the castaways came to the realization that there ZRXOGEHQRUHVFXHDQGWKH\ZRXOGKDYHWREXLOGOLYHVDFRPPXQLW\RQWKHLVODQG7KH\KDYHSDVVHGWKHWLPHRIVWULFWO\VXUYLYLQJDQGWKH\EHJLQWROLYHDQRUPDOOLIH*XpURXWVD\V

2QHVLJQLFDQWP\VWHU\UHPDLQVWKHORFDWLRQVRIWKHJUDYHVRIWKRVHZKRGLHGRQWKHLVODQG,Q2008, two sets of human UHPDLQV ZKLFK KDG FOHDUO\ EHHQ GXJ XS DQG UHGHSRVLWHGSUREDEO\LQWKH1950VZHUHIRXQG%XWQRPRUHKDYHEHHQORFDWHGGHVSLWHWKHWHDPVVHDUFKLQJ7KHJUDYHVPD\KDYHEHHQGLVWXUEHGRUEXLOWRYHUGXULQJFRQVWUXFWLRQRIWKHZHDWKHUVWDWLRQ$QRWKHUSRVVLEOHH[SODQDWLRQOLHVLQWKHOHJHQGRI2OLYLHU/HYDVVHXUDSLUDWHNQRZQDV/D%XVH7KH%X]]DUGZKRLVVDLGWRKDYHOHIWEHKLQGDFRGHGQRWHOHDGLQJWRWUHDVXUHZKHQhe was hanged in 17303HUKDSVFHQWXULHVODWHUHQWHUSULVLQJZRUNHUVEXLOGLQJWKHZHDWKHUVWDWLRQDVVXPHGWKDWWKHFRUDOEXLOGLQJVZHUHDSLUDWHKLGHRXWGXJWKURXJKWKHPIRUWUHDVXUHDQGFDVWDVLGHDUWLIDFWVRUHYHQKXPDQUHPDLQV7KHDGGLWLRQDOKDOIGR]HQEXLOGLQJVXQFRYHUHGE\DUFKDHRORJLVWVLQ2010 and 2013 appear to support this theory, as they did not contain any

7KDW\HDUWKHWHDPDOVRIRXQGVL[FRSSHUSODWHVRUERZOV7KHVHLWHPVKDGFOHDUO\EHHQVDOYDJHGIURPWKHZUHFNDQGWKHQSRVVLEO\KDPPHUHGLQWRQHZVKDSHV0RUHUHPDUNDEOHZDVKRZWKH\KDGEHHQUHSDLUHGVRPHXSWRHLJKWWLPHVover the course of 15\HDUV7RUHSDLUDFRSSHUSODWHLVQRWVRHDV\VD\V*XpURXW7KHFDVWDZD\VKDGWRFXWSLHFHVRIFRSSHUIURPRWKHUREMHFWVIRUSDWFKHVGULOOKROHVWKURXJKERWKpatches and plates, and then use small rolled pieces of copper DVULYHWVZKLFKWKH\WKHQKDPPHUHGLQWRSODFH7KHUHSDLUVDUHUHHFWLRQVRISDWLHQFHDQGLQGXVWU\DQGUHPLQGHUVRIWKHSDVVDJHRIWLPH

The next excavation season, 2008EURXJKWWKHERQDQ]DWKH

The first intact building archaeologists found on the island is

thought to have been a kitchen (below). Inside, there was a

deposit of cleverly made spoons (bottom left), a stack of copper

bowls and plates (bottom right), and other domestic remains.

www.archaeology.org 51

HOVHLVNQRZQDERXWWKHLUOLYHV$QDO\VLVRIWKHDUFKDHRORJLFDOQGV DFFRUGLQJ WR5RPRQZLOO FRQWLQXH WR LOOXPLQDWH WKHFDVWDZD\VWHFKQLFDONQRZOHGJHDQGVRFLDODQGUHOLJLRXVZRUOGV7KHWHDPLVSODQQLQJDGHWDLOHGSXEOLFDWLRQDQGDPXVHXPH[KLELWWKH\KRSHZLOOWUDYHODFURVVWKH,QGLDQ2FHDQLVODQGV

,Q0DODJDV\EHOLHIWKHODQGEHORQJVWRWKHVSLULWVDQGDQFHVWRUVVD\V5DVRDULIHWUD$UFKDHRORJ\LVDQDFWLRQWKDWDZDNHQVWKHHDUWKWRGHOLYHUWKHSDVW:LWKWKLVLQPLQGDWWKHRXWVHWof the 2013VHDVRQ5DVRDULIHWUDDUUDQJHGDFHUHPRQ\6KHDVNHGher ancestors for permission for the scientists to dig on their ODQGDQGH[SODLQHGWKDWWKH\ZHUHGRLQJLWQRWWRGHVWUR\EXWUDWKHUWRXQGHUVWDQG6KHSRXUHGDOLWWOHUXPLQWRWKHVDQGDWWKHQRUWKHDVWFRUQHURIWKHVLWHWKHFRUQHUWKDWWUDGLWLRQDOO\EHORQJVWRWKHDQFHVWRUV7KHQHYHU\WHDPPHPEHUWRRNDVLSQ

Samir S. Patel is deputy editor at Archaeology.

DUWLIDFWV7KHDUFKDHRORJLVWVFRQVLGHUWKHPVHOYHVOXFN\WRKDYH IRXQGWZREXLOGLQJVZLWKPDWHULDOLQVLGH WKHP $FFRUGLQJ WR 7KRPDV 5RPRQ DQ,15$3DUFKDHRORJLVWZKRZRUNHGRQHDFKHOGVHDVRQRQ7URPHOLQWKHUHDUHSUREDEO\QXPHURXVDGGLWLRQDO VWUXFWXUHVEHQHDWK WKHPRGHUQEXLOGLQJV:HKDYHRQO\DYHU\SDUWLDOSLFWXUHRIWKLVVHWKHVD\V

The construction and arrangement of the castDZD\VVWUXFWXUHVVD\DJUHDWGHDODERXWOLIHRQWKHLVODQGDQGLQVRPHZD\VHYHQUHHFWWKHSV\FKRORJLFDOH[SHULHQFHRILWDFFRUGLQJWR*XpURXW$WWKHWLPHSHRSOHDFURVV0DGDJDVFDUJHQHUDOO\OLYHGin small huts of wood, mud, and thatch, with each family group on its own plot some distance from QHLJKERUV 6XFKPDWHULDOV ZHUH QRW DYDLODEOH RQ7URPHOLQVRWKHSHRSOHWKHUHKDGWRPDNHGRZLWKZKDWZDVRQKDQG7KHEXLOGLQJVDUHFRPSRVHGRIWZROD\HUVDWSODWHVRIEHDFKVDQGVWRQHSODQWHGLQWKHJURXQGYHUWLFDOO\WRSSHGE\FRUDOEORFNV7KLVFRQVWUXFWLRQ VW\OH LV XQOLNH DQ\0DODJDV\ KRPHEXWLWGRHVKDYHDGLUHFWFRUUHODWHRQ0DGDJDVFDUEXULDOFLVWV$FFRUGLQJWR5DVRDULIHWUDWUDGLWLRQDOO\DOOVWRQHEXLOGLQJVZRXOGKDYHEHHQUHVHUYHGIRUWKHGHDG3V\FKRORJLFDOO\LWLVYHU\LQWHUHVWLQJWRXQGHUVWDQGVD\V*XpURXW7KHSHRSOHFKRVHWR OLYH LQZKDWZHUH LQ WKHLUPLQGV WRPEV7R5DVRDULIHWUDLWUHSUHVHQWVDQRWKHUFXOWXUDOVKRFN$IWHU VXUYLYLQJHQVODYHPHQW WKHZUHFNDQG WKHDEDQGRQPHQW WKH\ HYHQ KDG WR RYHUFRPH WKHLURZQFXOWXUDOSURKLELWLRQV

,Q DGGLWLRQ WKH EXLOGLQJV UDWKHU WKDQ EHLQJVHSDUDWHVKDUHGZDOOVDQGZHUHFOXVWHUHGLQDERXWKDOIDQDFUHXQOLNHPRUHGLXVHYLOODJHVEDFNKRPHThe archaeologists found that the castaways had, DWVRPHSRLQWGLVPDQWOHGEXLOGLQJVWRHUHFWDZDOOapproximately 20IHHWORQJSUREDEO\DIWHUDF\FORQHGDPDJHGWKHKDPOHW,QWKHVHZD\VWKHVWUXFWXUHVUHSUHVHQWV\VWHPDWLFDGDSWDWLRQWRWKHODFNRIVSDFHand the need for protection from cyclones, and they UHHFWDSV\FKRORJLFDOVWDWHJUDYHERXQGEXWWRJHWKHUOHDQLQJXSRQRQHDQRWKHU

UPON THEIR RESCUE IN 1776, the seven adult survivors DQGWKHFKLOGZHUHWDNHQWR0DXULWLXV:KDWLVLQWHUHVWLQJLQWKLVKLVWRU\LVWKDWEHWZHHQWKHPRPHQWRI

WKHZUHFNDQGWKHPRPHQWRIWKHUHVFXHWKHLGHDVRQVODYHU\ZHUHFKDQJLQJVD\V*XpURXW,Q1761JRYHUQRU'HVIRUJHV%RXFKHUKDGUHIXVHGWRVHQGKHOS%\1776, the women were IUHHGXSRQWKHLUDUULYDO7KHQHZVWHZDUGRI0DXULWLXVDQG5pXQLRQ-DFTXHV0DLOODUW'XPHVOHWRRNWKUHHRIWKHPWKHFKLOGKLVPRWKHUDQGKHUPRWKHULQWRKLVKRPHDQGKDGWKHPEDSWL]HG+HFKULVWHQHGWKHFKLOG0RVHV-DFTXHVDIWHUKLPVHOI+LVPRWKHU6HPLDYRXRURQHZKRLVQRWSURXGZDVUHQDPHG(YHDQGWKHJUDQGPRWKHUGXEEHG'DXSKLQH

7KHRWKHUVXUYLYRUVDOVRVHWWOHGLQ0DXULWLXVEXWQRWKLQJ

In Madagascar in the 18th century, homes would have been built of

organic materials, while stone was reserved for the dead. By necessity,

the castaways had to overcome this taboo and live in what would

have seemed to them like tombs.