Views of Forts and Castles along the Gold Coast, West Africa, about 1700<br><p>Print depicting 11 forts built by Europeans along the coast of West Africa to defend their trading interests from rivals and competitors. There were approximately 50 forts in a 300-mile stretch of coastline. Initially, they were built to protect the gold trade but as transatlantic slavery developed, they became increasingly used to house captives in windowless dungeons as they awaited the Middle Passage. 
</p><p>The images are inscribed ‘The Westerly Side of the Castle at Mina [Elmina]’, ‘The Fort Coenraadsburg and Gardens at W’, ‘Cabo Corso Castle [probably Cape Coast Castle] and Fort Royall at E’, ‘The Fort Leidsaemheid Dutch at W’, 'The Fort Amsterdam at Cormentyn’, 'The English Castle at Anamaboe at E’, 'The Fort Nassau Dutch at W’, 'Fort Christiaansburgh at Acra at W’, ‘Fort Creveceur [Crevecoeur, now Fort Ussher] at Acra at E’, ‘Fort Iames at Acra at E’, and ‘The English Fort at Simpa at W’. The identity of the engraver, appears as 'J. Kip Sculp.' bottom right and the plate was originally included in a large publication, yet to be identified: 'Vol. V Plate 25', 'Pag. 446', is inscribed at the top.<br></p>
Views of Forts and Castles along the Gold Coast, West Africa
<div class="fn value">
Jan Kip</div>
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