Posted on 06/22/2024 9:48:47 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
King Ghezo ruled Dahomey from 1818 to 1858, a period marked by military conquests and the transformation of the region's economy, heavily reliant on the slave trade. The kingdom of Dahomey, with its capital at Abomey, was a dominant power in West Africa, known for its aggressive raids on neighboring regions to capture slaves. These captives were either traded for European goods, forced to work on royal plantations, or sacrificed in elaborate voodoo ceremonies.
Local legends claim that several structures within the palace complex in Abomey, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, were constructed using a mortar that included the blood of 41 sacrificial victims—41 being a sacred number in voodoo. The palace's funerary huts, built to honor Ghezo's father, Adandozan, are particularly significant. It was rumored that these huts were constructed using a mixture of red oil, lustral water, and human blood...
The study highlights that the Dahomey kings were considered "God-kings," with a belief system that viewed death as a transition rather than an end. Voodoo rituals aimed to create a metaphysical barrier between the human world and the spiritual realm, using blood, prayers, and sacred water to imbue buildings with protective and consecrated energy.
One unexpected finding was the presence of wheat proteins in the mortar. Wheat was not grown in sub-Saharan Africa during Ghezo's reign, suggesting a cultural exchange between Dahomey and France.
(Excerpt) Read more at archaeologymag.com ...
Slavery was and is an abomination. That’s the core of it, so thanks for agreeing with me.
Not every slave kept in Africa was killed in sacrifice. Most just toiled.
Not every African slave-dealing king kingdom practiced human sacrifice.
The life expectancy of a slave in a European run sugar plantation was 3 years. They were worked to death as in galley ships and salt mines.
Deaths on board a slave ship were ten percent on the low end, usually higher.
“ Deaths on board a slave ship were ten percent on the low end, usually higher.”
Much higher if they didn’t go.
I do think near 100%
By sacrifice or worked to death.
“ The life expectancy of a slave in a European run sugar plantation was 3 years. They were worked to death as in galley ships and salt mines.”
This is a separate issue. I’ve heard similar things as well. I’m not addressing that one way or the other. It seems consistent with numbers to North America vs Caribbean and South America.
Just discussing these things is difficult because people can mistakenly take such analyses as justifying slavery or something similar because it’s such a visceral issue.
I didn’t think you were justifying slavery at all. I think you are quite incorrect that a slaves had higher mortality in Africa, even in Dahomey, than in being sent to the Americas.
“ I think you are quite incorrect that a slaves had higher mortality in Africa, even in Dahomey, than in being sent to the Americas.”
That’s the crux of it.
The magnitude of human sacrifice is something I didn’t know before. That’s why I’m saying this.
This article reinforces the centrality of human sacrifices to their day to day existence in that building material needed human blood.
Here’s how I see it. The powerful slave trading tribes constantly captured people from weaker tribes.
They had one set of captives they kept and used for their purposes, slaves, concubines etc…
The other set were either used for sacrifice or sold to Europeans.
“Several structures in the palace complex” were built with blood.
Not every building in the palace let alone all of Dahomey.
Not day to day construction, day to day existence.
Look up annual customs of Dahomey. Usually around 500 sacrificed, 4000 in 1727
“ Usually around 500 sacrificed, 4000 in 1727.
4000 is a lot.
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