The Emergence of Maritime Archaeology in the Republic of Benin: Research, Challenges, and Ongoing Initiatives

Presentation Abstract:  The Republic of Benin has a rich maritime history shaped by human interactions along its coast. However, these coastal areas remain understudied in terms of archaeological research. Over the past five years, research has explored the potential of both land and submerged archaeological sites to understand long-term occupation and material evidence of Atlantic-era exchanges. This presentation traces the development of maritime archaeology in Benin through ongoing research. Grounded in a Maritime Cultural Landscape framework, it combines terrestrial survey data, underwater investigations, oral traditions, and historical archives to reconstruct past human interactions along the coast.

About the Presenter: Affolabi Angelo Ayedoun is a PhD Student in the Department of Anthropology at UCSC. His research seeks to illuminate the precolonial history of coastal Benin by analyzing patterns of occupation and cultural interaction during the second millennium AD. It focuses on the Grand-Popo region, an area of early settlement and a key site of initial colonial contact in present-day Benin.