The discovery of human remains at L’Anse Sainte-Marguerite, threatened by coastal erosion, led to a series of archaeological excavations from 1997 to 2002. A team of archaeo-anthropologists uncovered a vast cemetery dating back to colonial times, shedding light on the funerary practices and living conditions of the population during that era. The funerary complex, which contained several hundred burials, provided valuable insights into the treatment of the deceased and the sanitary conditions of the population. The discovery of human remains laid in wooden coffins suggested a link to the colonial period, with the cemetery being used by enslaved individuals from nearby plantations in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The location of the cemetery on a beach, far from formal places of worship and amidst historic sugar cane plantations, led researchers to believe that it was a slave burial ground. This hypothesis was supported by the fact that almost 90 percent of the population to the North of Grande-Terre was comprised of slaves in the late eighteenth century. The archaeological digs revealed two distinct sectors within the cemetery, each providing unique insights into the funerary practices of the time. To the south, graves were laid out in random directions, with coffins used in less than 50 percent of cases. This was attributed to the fact that not all slaves were baptized before the first abolition in 1794, despite recommendations in the Code Noir for the French colonies. In contrast, to the north, Christian rituals were well respected, as evidenced by burials with the heads of the deceased facing westward and the discovery of religious objects such as prayer beads.
The African origins of the individuals buried in the cemetery were indicated by certain morphological bone characteristics and dental injuries consistent with cultural rituals from Western Africa. The presence of dental mutilation, which was strictly prohibited in the French colonies, suggested that these individuals were born in Africa and subsequently deported during or after adolescence. Biological studies revealed the negative effects of hard labor and the high prevalence of tuberculosis caused by poor hygiene and harsh living conditions. The cemetery, though yet to be fully explored, is of major importance for the study of slavery in the Caribbean and is currently the best-documented burial site in all of the Antilles.
The Slave Burial Ground of Anse Sainte-Marguerite is part of the Slave Route—Traces of Memory network organized by the Conseil Général of Guadeloupe, contributing to a deeper understanding of this dark chapter in history. This significant archaeological find provides a poignant reminder of the impact of slavery on individuals and communities in the Caribbean region.