Procedencia y estatus social de los africanos en la villa colonial de Campeche: un estudio químico y antropológico preliminar

Abstract

The present study investigates the natality of the African individuals buried in the Main Plaza’s colonial cemetery of Campeche. It aims at inferring the social status of this segment of society by combining their provenience, living and nutritional conditions. The study rests upon the analysis of the pattern of trace elements detected in dental enamel to detect “foreign” individuals, while dental caries and enamel hypoplasia are used to infer nutritional and developmental status. Trace elements indicate that eight African individuals were not autochthonous, rather were likely imported as slaves to the new Continent. Campeche’s production economy indicates that African slaves were commonly employed as luxury goods (service and commerce) in the wealthy people houses. This information could explain that their nutritional and living conditions were apparently better than that of the natives, at least in terms of caries and hypoplasia.