Atlantic Slave Trade

The history of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade can be seen and felt around the world through the inherited cultural identities of individuals, communities, and nations as its living legacy. Though the story and lasting impact of the slave trade system cannot be conveyed in one site, this project aims to enrich long-term conservation efforts of cultural heritage sites while contributing to the ongoing research and conversation about the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Utilizing the latest 3D laser scanning and other reality capture technologies, CyArk, with the support of Trimble and heritage sites around the world, will scan, document, and 3D model physical sites associated with the trans-Atlantic slave trade in an effort to better understand, conserve, and preserve each site.

Through an interactive map, each site will be placed within the cultural context of a global story and our international identity. The digital record will help to preserve our global heritage for long-term conservational efforts and access to a global forum. This theme will be an ongoing effort, with new cultural heritage sites added to expand our understanding of the global transformation of the trans-Atlantic slave trade while maintaining our historic and contemporary connections as the living legacy.

This project builds upon the pioneering work of University of Cape Town Professor Heinz Ruther and the Zamani Project to document the heritage of Africa. We encourage you to visit the Zamani website for more information.

The data provided on this map is through the courtesy of the Slave Voyages database.