The First Great Waves: African Provenance Zones for the Transatlantic Slave Trade to Cartagena de Indias, 1570–1640

Between 1570 and 1640, the transatlantic slave trade to Cartagena de Indias, a primary Spanish colonial port, was equally dominated by captives from Upper Guinea and Angola, with a smaller contribution from Lower Guinea. Contrary to prior assumptions, Angola's rise as the dominant source of slaves occurred more gradually than previously believed. This finding emerges from an analysis of 487 ship entry records, documenting nearly 80,000 disembarkations. The study challenges established narratives by revealing a more nuanced and prolonged transition in slave provenance zones, offering new insights into the dynamics of early colonial-era trade networks.

WHEAT, D. (2011). THE FIRST GREAT WAVES: AFRICAN PROVENANCE ZONES FOR THE TRANSATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE TO CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, 1570–1640. The Journal of African History, 52(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0021853711000119