The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal

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The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal: A Submerged Colonial Gem

The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2025, offers a unique glimpse into the history and culture of colonial England's presence in the Caribbean. Located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour in southeastern Jamaica, this once thriving port city provides valuable insights into urban colonial life during the 17th century.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

The town of Port Royal is located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour in southeastern Jamaica. It was a major 17th-century English port city. A devastating earthquake in 1692 submerged much of the town under water and sand. Today, its terrestrial and underwater remains offer rare insights into urban colonial life. Once a key hub for transatlantic trade—including the trade of enslaved Africans—Port Royal featured a deep-water port and six defensive forts, some now submerged. Archaeological evidence reveals a well-preserved layout of residential, religious, and administrative buildings, serving as a distinctive marker of British colonial presence in the Caribbean.

Encyclopedia Record: Port Royal

Port Royal was a town located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest and most prosperous city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and commerce in the Caribbean Sea by the latter half of the 17th century. It was destroyed by an earthquake on 7 June 1692 and its accompanying tsunami, leading to the establishment of Kingston, the capital and the most populated and prosperous city in Jamaica. Severe hurricanes have regularly damaged the area. Another severe earthquake occurred in 1907.

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