(CNN) Founded by Portuguese colonialists, the island nation of Cape Verde draws its influences from both Africa and Europe. Small, diverse and laid back, the archipelago nonetheless has a dark past.
New finds from archaeologists have brought to light fresh evidence of Cape Verde's role at the center of the transatlantic slave trade.
A pirate's battleground
Cape Verde's oldest city, Cidade Velho (formerly Ribeira Grande) was settled by the Portuguese in 1462. Exploration had found the island -- like the rest of the archipelago -- was completely uninhabited; a blank canvas to build a strategically important gateway between Europe, West Africa and the soon to be 'discovered' Americas.