Metallic encounters in Cuba: The technology, exchange and meaning of metals before and after Columbus

Metals held important symbolic and political values for the indigenous communities of the Caribbean islands. However, metal objects are not abundant in indigenous archaeological sites, and their study has hitherto been very limited. This paper presents the results of the first analytical programme focused on metal artifacts recovered in a range of Taíno sites in Cuba, chronologically covering the periods before and after contact with Europeans. Our aims were: (a) to identify metallurgical traditions related to a diversity of cultural or learning backgrounds; (b) to investigate the origins of different metal artifacts found in Cuba, as a proxy to reconstruct patterns of exchange and interaction among indigenous communities and between these and Europeans; and (c) to approach the meaning and symbolism of different metals by considering their contexts of appropriation and use. The techniques employed included optical microscopy, SEM–EDS, pXRF and PIXE. The results allow a diachronic picture of the procurement, transformation, use and symbolism of metals in Cuba with broader implications for Caribbean archaeology. We reveal culture-specific Taíno choices in their interaction with materials and value systems from continental America and Europe. We also discuss the selective appropriation, recontextualization and meaning of different metals in the indigenous cultures

Retroviral DNA Sequences as a Means for Determining Ancient Diets.

For ages, specialists from varying fields have studied the diets of the primeval inhabitants of our planet, detecting diet remains in archaeological specimens using a range of morphological and biochemical methods. As of recent, metagenomic ancient DNA studies have allowed for the comparison of the fecal and gut microbiomes associated to archaeological specimens from various regions of the world; however the complex dynamics represented in those microbial communities still remain unclear. Theoretically, similar to eukaryote DNA the presence of genes from key microbes or enzymes, as well as the presence of DNA from viruses specific to key organisms, may suggest the ingestion of specific diet components. In this study we demonstrate that ancient virus DNA obtained from coprolites also provides information reconstructing the host's diet, as inferred from sequences obtained from pre-Columbian coprolites. This depicts a novel and reliable approach to determine new components as well as validate the previously suggested diets of extinct cultures and animals. Furthermore, to our knowledge this represents the first description of the eukaryotic viral diversity found in paleofaeces belonging to pre-Columbian cultures

Description of coprolite samples employed in study.

1<p>Prefix SV indicates the sampling site was in the Sorcé Estate (S) the Island of Vieques (V) Puerto Rico. The remaining characters refer to the specific excavation site from which the specimens were obtained (e.g., YTA-1_I-5-6_) and archaeological depth (e.g., 60 cm).</p><p>Description of coprolite samples employed in study.</p

Similarities (A) and differences (B) found in the microbial fecal communities of the Huecoid and Saladoid cultures.

<p>Similarities (A) and differences (B) found in the microbial fecal communities of the Huecoid and Saladoid cultures.</p

Location and obtainment of coprolites used in this study.

<p>Panels (a) and (b) show the sampling sites, located in Sorcé, Vieques, an island off the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. Panel (c) shows the Huecoid and Saladoid archaeological study sites (namely AGRO-I and AGRO-II, respectively). Panel (d) shows a coprolite extracted from these archeological sites.</p

Relative abundance of fungi in coprolite samples.

<p>Panel (a) shows the proportions of fungi detected in Huecoid and Saladoid samples. Panel (b) shows the comparison of the proportions of yeasts detected in both cultures.</p