Geoarchaeological investigations at Los Buchillones, a Taino site on the north coast of central Cuba

Summary

Los Buchillones is a Taino site, occupied from approximately AD 1220 to 1640, located on the north coast of central Cuba. Discovered in the mid 1990s, it has since been the focus of both archaeological and geological investigations. The site is one of the largest in the Caribbean, and is located under approximately 1 meter of water in a shallow bay inside a barrier reef complex. Due to the submerged nature of the site, the preservation of wooden remains is exceptional. Geoarchaeological research at the site has attempted to 1) reconstruct the evolution of the coastal environment since the site was occupied, and 2) determine the timing of flooding of the settlement. Sediment cores collected throughout the site, and from mangrove dominated areas in the region, have shown the Taino settlement was probably built above a lagoon. More recent archaeological work has attempted to understand Taino settlement patterns, specifically how Taino houses preserved at the site were constructed. This presentation will highlight some of the key discoveries at the site, and also discuss excavation methods and ongoing challenges with artifact preservation.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Marine Geoarchaeology   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2014

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): SYM-1,02