
The Digging Deep into Ghana’s Slavery History Project is a fully integrated multidisciplinary research program to systematically investigate sites associated with the slave trade in Ghana using state-of-the-art geophysical methods. The trans-Atlantic slave trade had devastating impacts on Africa. These slave relics and sites will provide crucial insights into slave trade routes and the living conditions of enslaved people. One of the sites investigated is the Fort at Tantumquery. The first archaeological and geophysical investigation of the Fort at Tantumquerry was conducted in September 2024. A team from the Department of Physics of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana’s Department of Archaeology and Heritage Studies (DAHS), with a representative of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB), conducted excavations and geophysical prospections (Electrical Resistivity survey and Ground Penetrating Radar) of the ruinous site of the fort. Background The fort at Tantumquerry was constructed by the Royal African Company (RAC), an English Trading Company, in the 1720s as part of their expanding network of coastal fortifications. The fort’s strategic location enabled control over local trade routes. Historical records indicate that the fort functioned as both a military installation and a commercial hub, facilitating trade relationships with local communities while asserting British territorial claims. The fort is perched on the summit of a low hill, about 30 m above sea level, and about 250 m off the coast of Ekumfi Otuam. The fort at Tantumquery is in Otuam in the Ekumfi District of the Central Region of Ghana. Soils are predominantly sandy loam, grading to clay loam on upper slopes. The tropical climate is characterized by high humidity and distinct wet (April-October) and dry (November-March) seasons, with implications for seasonal variations in soil moisture, which can affect geophysical measurements. Data The workflow for the study involved site selection, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography, geophysical surveys, archaeological excavation and documentation of archaeological relics. Unmanned aerial vehicle photography was conducted with a DJI Mini 3 Pro system equipped with high-resolution imaging. Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) were selected based on site conditions, including surface topography and the anticipated complexity of subsurface archaeological features. A multichannel resistivity system was used to collect apparent resistivity data, whereas a MALA GPR ProEx system was used to acquire GPR data. The data in this collection are processed images of GPR and ERT data, images for site description, artifacts, general images of the team working in the field. The collection has the following data: Geophysics Ground Penetrating Radar processed data Electrical Resistivity processed data Photos Drone shots of site Photographs of Architectural Features Photographs of artifacts General photos of the team working in the field and off-site
Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Fort Tantumquery, Transatlantic slave trade, Ground Penetrating Radar, Archeo-geophysics
Electrical Resistivity Tomography, Fort Tantumquery, Transatlantic slave trade, Ground Penetrating Radar, Archeo-geophysics
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