Jodensavanne Archaeological Site

Redi Doti, Suriname
1660--1830
Economic forces as well as the Inquisition impelled hundreds of Sephardic Jews to migrate from Brazil as well as from Europe in the second half of the seventeenth century for the New World land of Suriname (at the time, Dutch Guyana). The sugar plantation settlement they established, deep in the interior, came to be known as Jodensavanne. Jodensavanne, which developed into the New World's largest and only autonomous Jewish agrarian community, was a curious blend of Jewish ideology and Dutch town planning ideals. A 90-foot-long synagogue, built by enslaved West African labor, was the first of any architectural significance in the western hemisphere. Jewish and African-descendant burial grounds contain approximately 1,000 grave markers noted for their artistry and historical information. Jodensavanne thrived until the mid-eighteenth century, but was eventually abandoned following a sugar glut, financial insolvency, and regional political turmoil. The remote jungle locale has hindered maintenance and documentation efforts. With proper funding, local workers could be employed to help stabilize and preserve the remains of Jodensavanne.

Listed in 1996