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Shipwrecks Reveal Dark History of Slave Trade in Costa Rica

5/30/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Archaeologists have identified two shipwrecks off Costa Rica as the Danish slave ships Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, which sank in the 18th century with approximately 690 enslaved Africans on board. This poignant discovery illuminates the deep-rooted Afro-Costa Rican heritage, uncovering a painful history of slavery that predates official documentation.

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Story summary

Archaeologists have identified two shipwrecks off Costa Rica as the Danish slave ships Fridericus Quartus and Christianus Quintus, which sank in the 18th century with approximately 690 enslaved Africans on board. This poignant discovery illuminates the deep-rooted Afro-Costa Rican heritage, uncovering a painful history of slavery that predates official documentation.