Provisioning the slave ships: Charque and mortality in the South Atlantic slave trade, 1758-1815

During the transition from the 18th to the 19th century the slave trade from Africa to the Americas surged, driven by the economic momentum of the Industrial Revolution. A crucial factor of this process was the survival of the enslaved during the Middle Passage. This article investigates the meanings and outcomes of the consumption of charque (salted meat) on Luso-Brazilian slave ships, particularly those departing from Rio de Janeiro, during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in order to assess its relevance within a broader framework. It draws on quantitative data from the Codices of Ship Entries of Rio de Janeiro, qualitative descriptions of the Middle Passage found in speeches from the Royal Academy of Sciences of Lisbon, and visual analysis of archaeological artifact reproductions. Therefore, it advances the studies of the materiality of the slave trade by combining quantitative and qualitative data, situating the article at the intersection of Economic History and Cultural History. On one hand, substituting salted fish with salted meat lowered transport costs and reduced mortality among the enslaved due to its physical characteristics and price. On the other hand, beef held symbolic value in the traditions of Central-West Africa, the predominant embarkation region at the time. Through this lens, this study argues that the exploitation of the culinary work performed by enslaved women was both an important factor in the maintenance of the slave trade by reducing mortality rates on ships, and a symbolic battleground, given the metaphysical value that beef held among Central-West African peoples.