The 1704 Wreck of the Henrietta Marie: Slave Ship Archaeology

In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the story of the Henrietta Marie, a slave ship that sank off the Florida Keys in 1704 after delivering its human cargo to Jamaica. Discovered in 1972 by treasure hunters, the wreck became one of the most important underwater archaeological sites for understanding the slave trade. Lucas walks us through the ship's history: built in London, it made multiple voyages to West Africa and the Caribbean, carrying iron bars, beads, and copper manillas to trade for enslaved people. We explore the artifacts recovered—shackles, pewter spoons, a Dutch gin bottle—and what they reveal about the daily cruelty of the trade. Lucas also discusses the ethical debates around displaying slave ship artifacts, the collaboration with descendants, and the enduring significance of the Henrietta Marie as the first slave shipwreck to be fully studied by archaeologists. Along the way, we touch on the Middle Passage, the Royal African Company, and the Gadsden flag that some descendants have reclaimed. #HenriettaMarie #SlaveShip #MaritimeArchaeology #MiddlePassage #FloridaKeys #RoyalAfricanCompany #IronShackles #Manillas #SlaveTrade #1704 #Jamaica #AfricanDiaspora #UnderwaterArchaeology #MelFisher #SlaveWreck #History #FexingoHistory #AtlanticSlaveTrade Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo